Pink Rebellion
by Bill K
Summary: A Sailor Moon story in 12 parts, examining the trials of growing up. In other words, look out world. Chibi-Usa's back and she's a teenager.
1. My Little Runaway

PINK REBELLION  
Chapter 1: "My Little Runaway"  
A Sailor Moon Fanfic  
By Bill K.   
  
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Sailor Moon and all related characters are (c)2001 by Naoko Takeuchi/  
Kodansha and Toei Animation, and are used without permission, but   
with respect. Story is (c) 2001 by Bill Kropfhauser  
  
As always, for those only familiar with the English dub:  
Usagi=Serena  
Ami=Amy  
Rei=Raye  
Makoto=Lyta  
Minako=Mina  
Haruka=Amara  
Michiru=Michelle  
Setsuna=Trista  
Mamoru=Darien  
Chibi-Usa=Rini  
Momoko(Momo)=Melanie  
Motoki=Andrew  
Diet=Japan's Congress  
  
Also for those only familiar with the English dub, this story draws   
on events occurring in Episode 20, which didn't run in North America.   
That episode concerned a little girl named Sakiko and her father's   
efforts to harness her budding telekinetic powers for his own   
purposes.  
  
Finally, Haruka and Michiru are NOT cousins.  
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"It's a terrible thing to know the future. Terrible enough to   
know your own, but even more terrible to know someone else's."  
  
"Do you speak of something specific, Small Lady?" Diana asked   
the little twelve-year-old girl with the vibrant pink hair twisted   
into rabbit's ears. The little gray kitten looked up at her with   
wide, wondrous eyes.  
  
"Yes," Chibi-Usa sighed, but said no more.   
  
She and Diana had just recently returned from the twentieth   
century. No sooner had she arrived at the time door than she sensed   
something amiss. Sailor Pluto was not there guarding the gateway. A   
grave sense of foreboding flooded over the girl and she ran to the   
drawing room of the Palace of Crystal Tokyo, seeking her mother and   
father. It was to her immense relief that she found them both there,   
immersed in affairs of state. Serenity looked up, grateful for the   
interruption and her face lit up at seeing her child.  
  
"Small Lady," she smiled, her voice hinting in timber at the   
Usagi of old. Her arms spread out wide and caught Chibi-Usa as the   
girl leaped up to her. The two embraced tightly, with Endymion   
leaning in to share the hug. "Oh, you're getting so big! I missed   
you so much!"  
  
"I missed you, too, Mama," Chibi-Usa sighed. "You and Dad. It   
hurt being away from you as much as it hurt leaving Usagi and   
Mamo-chan!"  
  
"Well, you're back now," Serenity replied happily. "What did   
you bring me?"  
  
"Mama!" scowled Chibi-Usa.  
  
"I seem to recall Mako-chan gave you some cookies. Did you eat   
them all on your trip?"  
  
"Not all of them," Chibi-Usa replied, flushing with guilt.   
"Besides, they're mine, not yours!"  
  
"Oh, you're so cruel to your mother," Serenity said, only   
partly teasing. "OK, keep them."  
  
Endymion eyed Chibi-Usa with his unique perception.  
  
"Is something bothering you, Small Lady?" he asked.  
  
"Where's Puu?" Serenity and Endymion looked at each other   
nervously. "Something's happened to her? What?"  
  
"We don't know. Sailor Pluto came to us one day. She said   
that she had to go into time to fulfill her destiny, and that we   
would never see her again at that point in her life. We haven't seen   
her since."  
  
"And you just let her go?" Chibi-Usa demanded.   
  
"Small Lady, you have to understand," Endymion struggled to   
explain, "Setsuna is one of the outer senshi. The outer senshi have   
their own missions and responsibilities and they don't feel the need   
to clear those missions with us."  
  
"You know how long it's been since anyone has seen Haruka or   
Michiru," Serenity added. "Setsuna had her own mission to   
accomplish. I couldn't stop her and I'm not even sure I should have   
tried. All we can do is wait and hope they return to us some day."   
She wiped a tear from Chibi-Usa's eye with her thumb. "I know it's   
hard. You depended on Setsuna a lot. I'll try to fill the gap as   
best I can."  
  
Chibi-Usa nodded glumly. Diana, fresh from a reunion of her   
own with Luna and Artemis, noticed her exit the Royal Drawing Room   
and head straight for the Palace Library. The little gray kitten   
scampered after her. She found Chibi-Usa at one of the archive   
computers.  
  
"What are you doing, Small Lady?" squeaked the kitten in her   
high-pitched voice.  
  
"Trying to find out what happened to my friends," mumbled   
Chibi-Usa. Her fingers danced over the sensory pad, calling up   
historical data from the past millennium. Specifically, she called   
up any bit of data concerning Setsuna Meiou or Sailor Pluto. There   
wasn't much, but what little there was ended right after the time   
Chibi-Usa left for her second visit to the twentieth century.   
Chibi-Usa flopped back into her chair.  
  
"Didn't you find what you were looking for?" asked Diana.  
  
"I think I did," whispered Chibi-Usa. "But it's not what I was   
hoping to find."  
  
Chibi-Usa attacked the sensory pad again, this time calling up   
data about her twentieth century friend Momoko. Though technically   
it had been a thousand years since she'd last spoken to the girl, for   
Chibi-Usa the time had only been several days, just before the second   
crisis with Neherenia. The computer brought up a large biographical   
entry, detailing Momo's life as a practicing attorney and her fame at   
being one of the first women to force her way onto the Diet from her   
district, her resignation during the onslaught of the Second Ice Age   
and her work to rebuild Japan after Sailor Moon and the senshi freed   
Earth from its grip. The entry listed Momoko's husband and children   
and drew a family tree right up to present day in the thirtieth   
century. Momoko, however, had died at eighty-four, nearly nine   
hundred years ago. Chibi-Usa sighed. She was proud of her friend's   
rich, full life, but it still left her a lonely little girl in a very   
large palace.  
  
Then she thought for a moment. "What about Hotaru?"  
  
Again, her fingers danced over the sensory pad, collecting   
every scrap of information about Hotaru Tomoe and Sailor Saturn.   
There were even fewer entries in this search. Chibi-Usa read them   
one by one, picturing as she did her friend acting out what she read   
in her mind. It was almost as if she were listening to Hotaru   
narrate the events herself and it made Chibi-Usa miss the fragile   
little thirteen-year-old even more.  
  
Then she came to the last entry. Diana could feel her tense   
up. The kitten looked up and saw the anguish in the girl's face.  
  
"Small lady?" Diana asked plaintively. "What is it?"  
  
Chibi-Usa disconnected the terminal and slid down from the   
chair silently. Diana followed her curiously as the girl walked to   
her room like a condemned prisoner. Her mistress crawled onto her   
bed and curled up forlornly. Diana stared uncomprehendingly. It   
seemed like the girl was crying.  
  
"Poor Hotaru," she heard Chibi-Usa whisper. Diana leaped up on   
the bed and padded over.  
  
"What's wrong, Small Lady?" Diana inquired.  
  
"It's a terrible thing to know the future. Terrible enough to   
know your own, but even more terrible to know someone else's,"   
Chibi-Usa whispered.  
  
"Do you speak of something specific, Small Lady?" Diana asked   
the little twelve-year-old girl with the vibrant pink hair twisted   
into rabbit's ears. The little gray kitten looked up at her with   
wide, wondrous eyes.  
  
"Yes," Chibi-Usa sighed, but said no more.   
* * * *  
Hotaru closed the door behind her and doffed her shoes. Once   
her slippers were on, she picked up her school satchel and headed for   
the dining room. After staying late at the library to read some of   
the simpler medical texts that Ami Mizuno had recommended, Hotaru had   
headed back home and was grateful she had timed things just right.   
From the smell wafting from the kitchen, Michiru was cooking tonight.  
  
"Hello, everybody," the petite little girl chirped upon   
entering. Setsuna put down her astronomy book and greeted the girl   
in the blue and white sailor tunic and blue skirt. Haruka looked up   
from television.  
  
"Hey, squirt," Haruka smiled. "How was school today?"  
  
"Fine," she replied, then darkened a little. "Well, all except   
gym."  
  
"Are you still having trouble with the vault?" Setsuna asked.  
  
"Yes. I just can't seem to push off enough with my legs."  
  
"Relax. You're just fourteen," Haruka told her lightly.   
"You'll get some muscle on those bones. You should have seen me when   
I was fourteen. Talk about a stick." Hotaru giggled.  
  
"So, did you meet any nice boys," Setsuna asked. Hotaru   
blushed slightly at the question and the reaction amused Setsuna.  
  
"Did you meet any nice girls?" Haruka added and Hotaru blushed   
even harder. She shot Haruka a stern look and the sandy blonde   
chuckled. Just then, the doorbell rang.  
  
"I'll get it," Hotaru called out. Setsuna intercepted her in   
the hall.  
  
"No, I'll get it," Setsuna said gently. "You get cleaned up   
for dinner."   
  
Hotaru complied and headed upstairs for the bathroom. Setsuna   
glided with ease to the door and opened it. What she found startled   
even the normally implacable woman.  
  
"Puu!" gasped Chibi-Usa. The girl flung herself at Setsuna and   
caught the woman in a tight hug. "Oh, I have missed you so much!   
Thank the fates you were the one who answered the door!"  
  
"S-Small Lady?" gasped Setsuna.  
  
She wasn't sure at first. The girl she remembered was a   
precocious little runt topped with bubblegum pink hair. This person   
hugging her was tall and slender, with almost a feline cast to her   
frame. Strikingly curvaceous for her age, which Setsuna guess at   
either fifteen or sixteen, this girl also had a pristine beauty to   
her that seemed cut to classical styles. Her pink hair was still   
done up in rabbit ear odangos and ribbons of it trailed down to her   
waist. She still possessed those large, inquisitive red eyes of   
childhood. But the rest of her face was like a fashion model's.   
Still, Setsuna only had to feel the warmth and devotion of this   
girl's hug to know who it was.  
  
"Yeah," the girl grinned. "It's me. Not so small anymore,   
though. How about you just call me Usa?"  
  
"As you wish, . . . Usa," Setsuna nodded, still surprised.   
  
"Haruka, come see who's here!" Michiru called from the hall.   
Haruka joined her and her face lit up.   
  
"Well, the little rabbit," Haruka marveled. "When did you blow   
into town?"  
  
Just then they all heard footsteps pounding on the stairwell.   
They all turned and saw Hotaru on the second step, clutching the   
banister. Her gaze was awash with surprise and delight and just a   
pinch of joyful tears.  
  
"Chibi-Usa?" Hotaru cried, not daring to believe it true.  
  
"Hotaru!" cried Usa.  
  
The long-separated friends fell into each other's arms, hugging   
and crying and laughing and squealing. After several moments, they   
parted.  
  
"Look how big you are!" gaped Hotaru.  
  
"Yeah. I didn't think I was ever going to grow and then   
'boom', it all happened in six months. I'm almost as tall as   
Makoto-san now! But look at you!"  
  
"I'm not that much bigger," Hotaru shrugged self-consciously.  
  
"Yes you are!" Usa laughed. "And I bet every boy in school is   
chasing you around, too!" Hotaru blushed again.  
  
"Well I bet every boy in Crystal Tokyo is chasing you," Hotaru   
grinned.  
  
"Not as much as you'd think," Usa replied, wincing. "But I   
can't talk about that, you know? Puu - - Pluto always warned me not   
to talk about the future when I was visiting the past."  
  
"Wise advice," Setsuna said.  
  
"She said modestly," added Michiru, a wicked smirk on her face.   
Setsuna glanced at her, then returned her gaze to Usa.  
  
"How long can you stay?" Hotaru asked urgently.  
  
Usa shrugged. "I don't know. It depends."  
  
"On what? Oh, right, you probably can't tell me." A fresh   
idea lit up Hotaru's dark face. "Michiru-Mama, can Usa stay for   
dinner?"  
  
"I've certainly got plenty cooked," Michiru smiled. "Do you   
think Usagi would mind if you stayed for dinner?"  
  
"Well," Usa said, trying to look innocent and, to Haruka's   
practiced eye, failing, "I don't think she'd have any objections   
right at this very moment."  
  
Hotaru hugged her friend. She led Usa into the living room to   
do a little catching up. Setsuna joined Michiru in the kitchen to   
help with serving.  
  
And Haruka stared suspiciously at Usa until her eyes bored   
holes in the girl's back.  
* * * *  
Crossing through the park by the lake were Usagi and Makoto.   
Makoto was escorting Usagi back home after the two had spent a few   
hours at her place snacking and laughing and talking about boys, and   
even studying now and then with Minako and Rei. It had been a game   
effort, but with Ami taking another college prep exam, there was no   
one to marshal their attention. Still, Makoto had enjoyed it.   
Having her friends over always beat sitting alone in her apartment.  
  
Usagi's mouth opened wide enough that it threatened to unhinge,   
then closed on most of a pastry Makoto had baked for them. Makoto   
smirked, but her humor turned to gratification when Usagi's satisfied   
sigh passed through lips coated in powdered sugar.  
  
"Mako-chan, you have to be the best baker in the whole   
universe!" she purred.  
  
"Thanks," Makoto grinned.  
  
"And I'm not just saying that! I've sampled nearly everything   
this city has to offer!"  
  
"I'm glad you liked it," Makoto said proudly. "I was kind of   
wondering why you insisted we study at my place."  
  
Usagi's gaze shifted to the ground and her face gained a guilty   
expression. But when she peeked up at Makoto and saw her friend   
wasn't mad at her, she perked back up again.  
  
"It's OK, Usagi. I like baking for you and the others. Every   
time any of you moan with delight or get a big grin on your face,   
it's like applause."  
  
"Then get ready to be applauded again," Usagi said and shoved   
the rest of the pastry in her mouth. "MMMMMMMMMMMMMM!" Makoto   
smirked self-consciously.  
  
"How's your art coming?" Makoto asked.  
  
"OK, I guess," Usagi shrugged. "I've been trying to draw Luna,   
but she won't sit still long enough. She keeps saying nobody's going   
to draw her unless they pay her first. Can you imagine that?!"  
  
Usagi felt Makoto stop short. She looked up inquiringly at her   
taller friend and saw Makoto staring straight ahead, her features   
hardened and her jaw set. Usagi followed Makoto's line of vision and   
looked ahead. Down the path, emerging from a cluster of trees, were   
four young girls. They seemed vaguely familiar, but it wasn't until   
Usagi got a look at their distinctive hairstyles in the fading   
afternoon light that she recognized them.  
  
"That's," she gasped in amazement, "that's the Amazoness   
Quartet!"  
* * * *  
Queen Serenity glided to the door of her daughter's room. A   
vague emptiness had lingered in her for about an hour. It disturbed   
her as much as the fight she'd had with her daughter earlier. It was   
an unfair assumption, but it seemed like Usa went out of her way to   
aggravate her anymore. Serenity had so much patience with everyone   
else - - why did Usa have that unique ability to push her buttons.  
  
"Sm . . ." she began, then caught herself. "Usa? Honey,   
please say something to me."  
  
When no response came, Serenity grew concerned. She pressed   
the emergency entry button to the quarters, which were geared to her   
fingerprints, Endymion's and the other senshi. The door hissed open   
and Serenity peered in, prepared to hear angry accusations about   
invasion of privacy.  
  
The room was unoccupied and hadn't been since morning.   
Serenity let out a long sigh.  
  
"Finally got tired?" Endymion asked as Serenity entered their   
chambers.  
  
"It's started," Serenity replied.  
  
"What's started?"  
  
"Usa's run away to the twentieth century," Serenity told her   
husband. "Remember?"  
  
continued in chapter 2   



	2. A City Full Of Runaways

PINK REBELLION,  
Part Two: "A City Full Of Runaways"   
By Bill K.  
  
It was late afternoon at the arcade. The after school crowd   
had just begun to filter in and Motoki was finally busy. If it were   
up to him, the place wouldn't open until three p.m. on school days.   
But he didn't own the arcade and the owner was adamant about the   
opening time.   
  
As he scanned the crowd of regulars, Motoki noticed a little   
girl. She had short cut brownish hair and looked about ten, but   
could have been older. He kept staring at her for two reasons: for   
one, she was searching the arcade, apparently looking for someone,   
while Motoki was struck by her resemblance to Usagi's friend Ami   
Mizuno. The girl could be Ami's younger sister, except Motoki didn't   
know if Ami had one.  
  
"Hi, hon'," Motoki said, approaching the girl. "Are you   
looking for somebody?"  
  
She nodded shyly. "Ami," the girl said. "Where is she?"  
  
"I was wondering if you two were related," Motoki grinned.   
"Are you Ami's little sister?"  
  
"Don't be stupid!" the girl snapped angrily. "Where is she?"  
  
Motoki was taken aback by the bold rudeness of this girl. It   
took him a few seconds to recover, while the girl glared at him the   
entire time.  
  
"Well, school's out, so I don't really know where she'd be," he   
told her.  
  
"Then you're useless!" the girl fumed. Her eyes clouded over   
and her short brown hair lifted up, blown by an unfelt breeze.   
  
Out of nowhere, an invisible force slammed into Motoki. It   
drove him off his feet and he slammed into the newly arrived Sailor V   
Stars game. Motoki slid to the floor, unconscious. Several shrieks   
came from the patrons. Everyone stared fearfully as the girl walked   
out of the arcade. She paused and looked back threateningly at the   
crowd of newly liberated school children, then left as mysteriously   
as she came.  
* * * *  
"Transform," Makoto whispered, eyeing the four silhouettes she   
was certain were the Amazoness Quartet.  
  
"Maybe they're not bad this time," Usagi said hopefully.  
  
"It doesn't hurt to play it safe," Makoto retorted. "Now   
transform!" She held her wand aloft. "Jupiter Crystal Power Make   
Up!"  
  
"Moon Eternal Make Up!" cried Usagi.  
  
Transforming in seconds, Eternal Sailor Moon and Sailor Jupiter   
stood on the path. Jupiter immediately stepped protectively in front   
of her princess.  
  
"Sailor Moon!" Palla-Palla squealed happily. "Lookee, it's   
Sailor Moon!"  
  
The girl broke from her friends and began running toward them.   
The other three instantly followed, trying to catch up with her.   
They were all dressed in civilian garb, though of a strange design,   
rather than their Dead Moon Circus costumes, but there was no   
mistaking them.  
  
"That's far enough!" Jupiter warned. When Palla-Palla kept   
coming, her hand shot down to her side. "Jupiter! Oak Evolution!"  
  
Palla-Palla shrieked in terror as electrical bursts exploded in   
front of her. She shrank into a protective stance, covering her head   
with her hands. The others pulled up a few feet from their partner.   
Ves-Ves glared angrily at Jupiter, but Jun-Jun and Cere-Cere seemed   
quite distressed. When they stopped, Jupiter withdrew her attack.  
  
"Mistress Jupiter ma'am?" Palla-Palla whimpered. "Are you mad   
at Palla-Palla?"  
  
"Get down on your knee, stupid!" hissed Ves-Ves, smacking the   
blue-tressed amazon in the back of the head.  
  
"Owweeee!" cried Palla-Palla.  
  
The others knelt down before Jupiter and Sailor Moon as one.   
Palla-Palla seemed a little confused at first, but quickly copied   
them.  
  
"Forgive Palla-Palla, My Queen," Cere-Cere begged, her eyes   
averted humbly. "She forgot where she was."  
  
"OK," Sailor Moon replied uneasily. "Um, what's going on?"  
  
Ves-Ves seemed to struggle to keep from giggling. Cere-Cere   
shot her a dire glance.  
  
"Forgive us for startling you, um . . . Sailor Moon," Jun-Jun   
replied. "We're not the Amazoness Quartet you remember. We're from   
the future."  
  
"Really?" gasped Sailor Moon, a wondrous smile sprouting on her   
mouth.   
  
The three amazons stood up. Ves-Ves bent down and tapped   
Palla-Palla on top of her head with a finger. Palla-Palla joined   
them on her feet.  
  
"The thirtieth century, to be exact," Jun-Jun continued.   
"We've come here looking for the princess. Is she staying with you?"  
  
"Princess?" asked Sailor Moon.  
  
"Chibi-Usa's here, too?" asked Jupiter. Ves-Ves and Cere-Cere   
exchanged amused glances.  
  
"Yes, I guess that would be the name you'd know her as," smiled   
Cere-Cere. "Have you seen her?"  
  
"Why?" Jupiter asked suspiciously.  
  
The four glanced at each other and silently reached the same   
conclusion. Four hands dove into four pockets and Jupiter tensed,   
but all they produced were four familiar looking pens. Each girl   
held a pen aloft.  
  
"Ceres Power Make Up!"  
  
"Vesta Power Make Up!"  
  
"Juno Power Make Up!"  
  
"Pallas Power Make Up!"  
  
And before the startled eyes of Jupiter and Sailor Moon, the   
four amazons transformed. They each wore Sailor fukus - - Ceres'   
skirt and boots were scarlet, Vesta's were maroon, Juno's were green   
and Pallas' were blue. Sailor Vesta took a step forward from the   
group and looked directly at Sailor Moon.  
  
"Because the princess has run away from Crystal Tokyo," she   
said earnestly, "and it's our duty to follow her wherever she may go   
and protect her with our lives."  
* * * *  
"So," Haruka began, her gaze never leaving Usa, "how is Usagi?"  
  
"Same old 'baka-Usagi'," Usa grinned nervously. "You know how   
she is."  
  
"Um hmm. Was she happy to see you?"  
  
Usa looked down. Her features seemed to cloud over. Michiru   
and Setsuna noticed as well. But she perked right up, breaking out   
the hereditary Tsukino megawatt smile.  
  
"Yeah. She fussed over me so much I almost couldn't get away   
to see Hotaru. That's mostly why I came."  
  
Hotaru smiled at her friend and Usa returned the gesture.  
  
"Did she say how long you could stay here?" Haruka asked   
calmly, her gaze still never leaving the girl.  
  
"Well, she didn't say," Usa replied, glancing down and quickly   
up again. "But I'm sure she wouldn't mind if I stayed over with   
Hotaru, since we're such good friends - - that is, if it's all right   
with you."  
  
"That'd be great!" squealed Hotaru. "Can she?"  
  
Setsuna was about to reply, but Michiru's hand on her leg   
stopped her. Michiru was focused on Haruka. She knew her lover well   
enough to hang back and allow the woman to play out her plan.  
  
"Sure, if it's OK with Usagi," Haruka replied, then grinned.   
"Maybe we'd better call her and check. You know how Dumpling   
worries."  
  
"Um," Usa replied urgently, wracking her brain for something to   
mollify Haruka.  
  
"She doesn't know you're here, does she?" Haruka asked   
pointedly. She gazed directly into Usa's eyes, calmly, but with the   
superior physical presence of an adult who won't brook a teen's lies.   
"She doesn't know you're visiting Hotaru. She may not even know   
you're here from the thirtieth century."  
  
"That's not . . ." Usa began to protest.  
  
"Don't lie to me, kid. I can smell a runaway at twenty meters.   
I ran away from home myself, so I know all the tricks."  
  
"Papa!" Hotaru gasped angrily. She was stunned by Haruka's   
bold accusations and hostile manner, and turned to her friend to lend   
support to the angry denials that were sure to follow.  
  
Usa's brow knit. She stiffened with anger and frustration,   
focusing her attention on her lap. She was trapped and she couldn't   
see a way out.  
  
"Usa?" Hotaru asked, stunned.  
  
"All right," Usa replied with great reluctance. "I ran away."  
  
"Why, Small La . . ." Setsuna began, then caught herself. "I   
mean, Usa?"  
  
"Because she doesn't trust me! I'm fifteen years old and she   
treats me like I'm five!"  
  
"Serenity?" Michiru asked.  
  
"Yes, and Daddy too! I'm supposed to be Sailor Moon! She was   
saving the planet when she was fourteen, but she won't even let me   
out of the palace! And the people she expects me to work with! Oh,   
you don't know!"  
  
"I know her, kid," Haruka replied. "She's got a pretty good   
head on her shoulders mostly. If she's holding you back, it's got to   
be for a good reason."  
  
"Sure, take her side!" snapped Usa. "Besides, it's not just   
that! I wanted to see Hotaru again!" and tears dribbled down her   
cheeks. "It's so lonely there! And-and Hotaru's my best friend ever!   
I couldn't stand it any longer! I had to come back and see her!"  
  
"Because I'm not in Crystal Tokyo?" Hotaru asked softly.   
Michiru looked at the girl, stricken. Haruka grimaced. Usa's hands   
flew to her mouth.  
  
"I'm sorry!" she gasped, crying anew. "I shouldn't have said   
anything!"  
  
"It's all right," Hotaru said, wearing a sad grin and patting   
Usa's knee. "I was always so sick, you know, before . . . I never   
really expected to live forever." Usa dived at the girl and hugged   
her, while Haruka and Michiru looked on, heartbroken. Setsuna kept   
her own counsel.  
  
"So why did you come to this moment?" Michiru asked, glancing   
nervously at Hotaru. "Or should we not ask?"  
  
"Well, I really can't tell you anything specific," Usa said,   
sniffling and wiping her eyes. "But something big's going to happen.   
And I'm going to handle it and prove to Mama that I can be Sailor   
Moon! And then she'll have to let me!"  
  
"You know this will happen?" Setsuna questioned her. "Did you   
read this in your history texts in the future?"  
  
"Yes," Usa said firmly, then faltered. "Well, what was there.   
There wasn't much detail to the story. There was just a small bit   
about this, um, thing happening, and Sailor Moon handles it. And I   
figured it didn't say it wasn't me, so it could be me."  
  
"Your logic is sound, Usa," Setsuna replied. "Please accept   
this warning, though. It is dangerous to know the future. Such   
knowledge can affect your every action. If, for example, you know   
you are destined to win, you could grow over-confident and lose, thus   
altering history and throwing the time line into chaos."  
  
"You don't have to tell me, Setsuna," Usa said, staring at her   
hands with a haunted look. "I already know just how awful it can   
be."  
  
"If you haven't told Usagi you're here," Michiru interjected   
maternally, "I'm assuming you don't have anyplace to stay?" Usa   
shook her head. "Then how about you stay here tonight." Usa and   
Hotaru both lit up with wide smiles. "I'll just call Usagi and let   
her know . . ."  
  
"NO!" cried Usa. "Please don't! If Usagi knows I'm here, then   
Mama'll know in the future and she'll come get me! Please don't tell   
her!"  
  
Michiru looked helplessly at Haruka. The blonde thought for a   
moment, then nodded her head silently.  
  
"OK, we won't tell Usagi," Michiru gave in. Then she arched an   
eyebrow. "But please do us the honor of not taking advantage of this   
kindness?"  
  
"Oh, I won't! I swear!" gasped Usa. "Thank you!"  
  
"May we go upstairs now?" asked Hotaru. "We've got a lot of   
catching up to do."  
  
"All right," Michiru nodded, smiling warmly.  
  
The two teens scampered up the stairs.  
  
"And you two keep your hands off each other," Haruka called   
after them playfully.  
  
"PAPA!" Hotaru gasped, mortified. Usa missed a step and   
stumbled to her knees on the stairs, then just lay there and stared   
ahead, her cheeks a vibrant crimson.   
* * * *  
Coming home from the university library, Mamoru eased his car   
along the side street to his apartment building. For the fifth time,   
he glanced down at the biochemistry text that was on the other seat.   
His hand drifted down to the book as his vision returned to the road.   
Reassurance came from his fingertips; the two tickets to the Tokyo   
premiere of "Hear My Song" the new concert film featuring the Three   
Lights that he was going to surprise Usagi with were still there. He   
remembered meeting one of them briefly at the end of the battle with   
Sailor Galaxia, and he remembered Usagi often spoke highly of the   
group.  
  
And he remembered vividly just how much it made his heart sing   
when Usagi smiled. He was planning to do a lot of singing Friday   
night.  
  
"What?" Mamoru gasped when he turned the corner.  
  
His foot jammed onto the brake. The street was littered with   
wrecked cars. They were shoved up against buildings, against utility   
poles and each other, all mangled. There were injured people,   
unlucky enough to be driving or walking when the accident must have   
hit.  
  
Then his attention was drawn further down the street. A little   
dark-haired girl about ten walked down the centerline of the street.   
She was five feet from a police car stopped in the intersection. Her   
deep brown hair flew up slightly, as if tossed by a gentle breeze.   
At first Mamoru thought the girl was one of the accident victims and   
was wandering in a daze.  
  
Suddenly the front end of the car buckled. Then it was shoved   
violently to one side, coming to rest against the front of a   
restaurant. The girl kept walking.  
  
The girl approached another car. The driver was frantically   
stripping his gears trying to put the car in reverse. The girl   
glared at him angrily. Her hair began to rise.  
  
"Stop!" The girl turned to the voice behind her. She found a   
tall, rail-thin man in a tuxedo, cape and top hat. He wore a white   
mask over his dark features and his dress and countenance suggested   
all the mystery of the night. She stopped. None of the other,   
ordinary people had been able to help her, but she could sense this   
man was not ordinary.  
  
"Why are you doing this?" he asked calmly, but with a tone that   
expected obedience.  
  
"I'm looking for Ami," the girl said, her face and posture a   
swirling cauldron of anger and anguish, growing desperation and   
whispering fear. "Do you know where she is?"  
  
"Ami who?" Tuxedo Mask asked cautiously. It couldn't be Ami   
Mizuno, could it? And yet, there was a mild resemblance.  
  
"AMI!" roared the child angrily. When Tuxedo Mask didn't   
respond, she turned back to the car. It flew away, swatted by an   
invisible hand of immense power, and slammed into a parked car. And   
just as suddenly, a whisper of red and green whizzed past the child's   
face. She glanced down and saw a single red rose sticking out of the   
asphalt. Angrily she whirled on Tuxedo Mask.  
  
"If you seek aid, I will do all I can to help you," Tuxedo Mask   
pronounced proudly. "If you seek to destroy, I will stop you. I am   
Tuxedo Mask."  
  
The child's face scrunched up into a petulant pout. Her eyes   
blazed and her hair began to fly up. Tuxedo Mask drew his cloak   
across himself as a shield just as he felt the impact of a powerful   
unseen force. There was no question it came from the girl, but how   
and what was it?  
  
To the girl's surprise, Tuxedo Mask stood up to the force   
crashing into him. It was a strain, but he resisted. She ground her   
teeth together. Tuxedo Mask pushed against the increased force,   
struggling to hold his ground. He tried to draw his walking stick,   
but couldn't reach it. The force kept relentlessly hammering at him.   
He could feel his heels begin to slip along the concrete sidewalk.  
  
And suddenly he was airborne. Tuxedo Mask tried to execute a   
backflip and push off against the wall to spring at the girl.   
However, the force was too powerful and he slammed into the wall,   
then fell limply to the ground.  
  
Forgetting him immediately, the girl turned away. She looked   
up into the violet dusk, the sun setting in the west. Tears began to   
well in her eyes.  
  
"Ami!" she wailed. "Where are you?!"  
  
Nearly two-thirds of a mile away, Sailor Moon suddenly stopped   
talking. Jupiter and the Amazoness Senshi stared at her, watching   
the color drain from her face and her blue eyes stare ahead in horror   
- - all except Sailor Pallas.  
  
"King fall down," Pallas said distantly. "Go boom."  
  
Like a shot, Sailor Moon pivoted and began running at top   
speed.  
  
"Sailor Moon?" Jupiter called after her.  
  
"Come on!" Sailor Juno cried as the Amazoness Senshi bolted   
after her. "I think the King's in danger!"  
  
Jupiter quickly took off after them. As she ran, she pulled   
out her senshi communicator and hit general send.  
  
"Emergency!" she called out to Ami, Rei and Minako. "Mamoru's   
in danger! We may need your help!"  
  
continued in part 3  



	3. Child Rearing

PINK REBELLION,  
Part 3: "Child Rearing"  
By Bill K.  
  
Giggling came once again from inside Hotaru Tomoe's bedroom.   
Haruka passed it on the way from the bathroom.  
  
"Go to sleep!" she growled. "Or at least giggle quietly if   
you're going to stay up all night!"  
  
"Yes, Haruka-papa," Hotaru called out.  
  
She looked down, chastened, then glanced out of the corner of   
her eye at Usa. Usa glanced back and they both broke out in giggles   
again, knowing that there was no way they were ready for bed yet.   
Sitting at the head of the bed, cross-legged, Hotaru looked at her   
friend, wondering if she should ask the question that was foremost on   
her mind. But as she agonized over it, Usa, sitting cross-legged at   
the foot of the bed, did it for her.  
  
"So are you going out with anyone?" Usa asked excitedly. "And   
if you are, what's he like?"  
  
Hotaru tried to keep her smile for Usa's sake, but it couldn't   
help drooping as she looked away.  
  
"I'm not seeing anyone," she said softly, then shrugged. "Not   
a lot of people have ever wanted to get close to me."  
  
"Why not?" Usa asked, genuinely sympathetic to her friend's   
plight.  
  
"Well," Hotaru hesitated. "I'm not much to look at."  
  
"That's not true! You have a very nice smile. And you have   
the most beautiful eyes I've ever seen! They're even more beautiful   
than Mama's, and that's saying something! Why, I've seen her enchant   
entire rooms full of people just by looking at them!"  
  
"I can imagine Usagi doing that," Hotaru grinned.  
  
"It's still hard to imagine they're the same person sometimes,"   
Usa continued. "Usagi and my Mama, I mean. If baka-Usagi can grow   
up to be my Mama, then there's hope for anybody!" Usa thought a   
moment. "You know, if you don't like the way you look, you could   
always do something about it. Change your hair, maybe?"  
  
"I don't think it would help. Usa, too many people remember   
how I was - - before. When I was . . ."  
  
"When Mistress 9 was inside you?"  
  
Hotaru nodded. "And those people are still afraid of me. And   
if I meet someone who doesn't know me from that time, well, they   
usually tell them pretty quickly."  
  
"That's not fair," Usa scowled.  
  
"I don't think they're trying to be mean - - not always."   
Hotaru stared at her hands for a few moments, then forced herself to   
cheer up. "So what about you? Have you met anyone?"  
  
"Well," Usa said, looking down with a sheepish, melancholy   
smile, "there is this one boy."  
  
"Tell me about him?" Hotaru asked hopefully.  
  
Usa's cheeks grew crimson and Hotaru stifled a smile. "Well,   
his name's Helios. He's the guardian of a realm called Elysian."  
  
"Sounds important. Is he cute?"  
  
"Oh, he is just so fine," Usa sighed, biting her lip. "And he   
can change into a Pegasus! Oh and he's just so beautiful when he's   
Pegasus!"  
  
"I love horses," sighed Hotaru happily.  
  
"And he's gentle and understanding and kind - - and he treats   
me with respect! He acts like my opinion matters and I can think for   
myself, you know?"  
  
"He sounds perfect. Do you go out a lot?"  
  
Usa bowed her head. "He has to stay in Elysian. And Daddy   
says it's too far for me to go on my own. Like I'm some kid or   
something! I'm fifteen! If it was up to me, I'd move there for the   
rest of my life!" She stared bitterly at nothing in particular.   
"But I have 'obligations'."  
  
"That sounds so sad," Hotaru said. "Do you see each other at   
all?"  
  
"We talk occasionally. He'll come to me in my dreams once in a   
while and we'll just curl up under a tree and he'll just hold me."   
Usa grinned happily. "And about five months ago - - in the future, I   
mean - - I snuck off and went to Elysian all on my own and we just   
spent the whole day together. Oh, it was beautiful."  
  
"What did your parents say?"  
  
"Well Daddy flipped out, as usual," Usa scowled. "Like I don't   
know what he and Usagi were doing when they were my age! Mama was   
actually kind of rational about the whole thing, if you can believe   
it. She got Daddy to calm down and all she seemed concerned about   
was if I had a good time. I think she actually likes Helios." Usa   
dramatically flung herself down on the bed. "Oh, Hotaru, being with   
you is the only thing that's keeping me from missing him so badly."  
  
"I'm glad to help," Hotaru smiled, stroking Usa's pink hair.  
* * * *  
Normally she would be gasping for breath about now. However   
Sailor Moon barely noticed the discomfort in her ribs as she ran   
blindly down the street. Passersby stopped and stared as the girl   
flew past them, her costume wings actually hindering her progress   
with their wind resistance.   
  
Close on her heels, struggling to catch up, were the Amazoness   
senshi.  
  
"Brother, Sailor Moon can really run!" gasped Vesta.  
  
"Pallas!" Juno yelled back to Sailor Pallas, who was trailing   
the pack. "Do you see anything up ahead?"  
  
Pallas kept running, but her eyes seemed to glaze over for a   
few moments.  
  
"Oh that poor little girl!" cried Pallas. "She's lost her   
Daddy!"  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" Ceres asked Juno.  
  
"I don't know," shrugged Juno. "Look for a little girl that's   
crying, I guess."  
  
Sailor Moon skidded around the corner, led only by a sense she   
couldn't name. At once she staggered to a stop, amazed at the path   
of destruction she found. As she stepped haltingly forward, it let   
Jupiter and the Amazons catch up.  
  
"What went through here?" Jupiter gasped. "A tank?"  
  
"Pallas knows, Pallas knows!" squealed Pallas. The others   
turned to her inquiringly.  
  
"Can you tell us?" Juno asked her pointedly.  
  
Pallas grinned eagerly. Two dolls seemed to materialize in her   
hand. One was a male doll and the other smaller and female.  
  
"Where's my friend?" mimicked Pallas, moving the female doll.   
"Bring me my friend or I'll make you sorry!" She began moving the   
male doll. "I am the great and glorious Tuxedo Mask!" Pallas   
mimicked, lowering her voice. "You must stop hurting people, little   
girl." She moved the female doll again. "Bring me my friend! I'm   
lonely and I'm afraid!" She moved the male. "I don't know who your   
friend is, little girl." She moved the female. "Then you're   
useless!"  
  
Then she shook the female doll at the male doll. With a   
dramatic flair, Pallas moved the male doll horizontally onto its   
back. Sailor Moon's eyes widened and her hands shot to her mouth.  
  
"Tuxedo Mask!" she gasped. "I've got to find him!" and she   
tore off again.  
  
"Did Pallas do bad?" Pallas asked Juno with the wide-eyed   
innocence of a chastened child.  
  
"No, Pallas," Juno said, her arm around the girl. "She's - -   
just worried about the king."  
  
Jupiter had already moved past them, keeping pace with Sailor   
Moon. She was about to call out when she spotted what Sailor Moon   
spotted. As one, they sprinted forward.  
  
"Tuxedo Mask!" wailed Sailor Moon. When she reached the still   
prone man, she fell to her knees and cradled him in her lap.   
"Mamo-chan?" she whispered.  
  
"Uhh," he groaned, disoriented. At first he didn't recognize   
her touch as Sailor Moon's hands caressed his face and began to   
struggle. Then he opened his eyes and calmed some. "That girl," he   
gasped. "Where . . .?"  
  
"She's gone, whoever she is," Sailor Moon said. "Are you all   
right?"  
  
"A little wobbly. Whatever she hit me with was strong. But   
how? Sailor Moon, she's just a little girl!"  
  
"A little girl did all of this?" gasped Jupiter. "Wow!"  
  
"She," gasped Tuxedo Mask, "has to be stopped!"  
  
"Leave that to us," Vesta said as she and the other Amazons   
arrived. "With your leave, your majesty."  
  
"Yes," Sailor Moon nodded. "Thank you. Please be careful."  
  
"We will." Vesta glanced up at Jupiter, her expression issuing   
a good-natured challenge. "So are you going to stand there all day?"  
  
Jupiter turned to Sailor Moon with a sly grin. "Oh, this one's   
got a smart mouth." She winked at Sailor Moon and took off with the   
Amazons.  
  
"Aren't those . . .?" Tuxedo Mask began.   
  
"They're friends now," Sailor Moon replied.  
  
Tuxedo Mask tried to get up, but fell back.  
  
"Things are spinning," he mumbled. Sailor Moon held onto him   
tighter.  
  
"Just sit here and clear your head," she whispered, hugging him   
to her breast. "I'm here. No one will hurt you."  
  
The five senshi found their quarry wreaking more havoc down the   
street. Stopping about fifty feet from her, they considered their   
next move.  
  
"I hate using my electrical attack on a little girl," Jupiter   
said.  
  
"Maybe a little passive restraint is in order," Sailor Ceres   
suggested. Her hand sweeping in front of her, the senshi yelled out,   
"Floral Stimulation!"  
  
Quickly green tendrils pushed their way through the asphalt   
street. Growing at a tremendous rate, the tendrils took on the shape   
of some sort of jungle vine. The vines began to twist and multiply   
beneath the little girl.  
  
She screeched in alarm as the vines rapidly wound around her   
ankles and up her legs, growing thicker as they did. She tried to   
pull away, but she was already caught. Growing inches per second,   
the vines caught her arms and pulled them to her sides while other   
tendrils coccooned her torso. Both her violent thrashing and her   
cries of distress made it clear the little girl was terrified by what   
was happening.  
  
Then her eyes rolled into the back of her head. Her dark hair   
flew up, blown by an unfelt wind. And with the speed of thought, the   
green vines grew brown and brittle. As if touching her were   
poisonous, the lush green drained away from the vines. Ceres   
suddenly fell back, clutching her head.  
  
"Ceres?" gasped Juno.  
  
"Ahh!" she cried. "I can feel them dying!"  
  
The girl wrenched out of the grip of the dead plants and glared   
angrily at the senshi.  
  
"Guess it's time for the direct approach," Vesta murmured,   
stepping forward. As her pace quickened, Vesta spread her arms and   
yelled, "Fauna Assimilation - - Tiger!"  
  
Vesta's movement took on the power and speed of a charging   
tiger. She cut the distance between her and the girl in mere steps.   
The girl seemed prepared to throw some sort of attack at her, but   
even as she charged, Vesta was ready to dodge with cat-like grace.  
  
Then an unseen forced struck her from the side. Caught   
unaware, Vesta was thrown from the girl's path and knocked roughly to   
the sidewalk. Stunned, Vesta struggled to get up.  
  
"So, are you brats back for more?" Sailor Venus said coldly,   
having used Love and Beauty Shock on Vesta. She stood on a side   
street, ready for battle, with Sailor Mars on her right, flaming bow   
in hand, and Sailor Mercury between them.  
  
"And what are you doing wearing those fukus?" snarled Mars.  
  
"Guys, no!" Jupiter called out. "They're on our side!"  
  
"Yeah, we're senshi, you bubble-head!" snapped Vesta.  
  
"Senshi?" gasped Mars. "Since when?"  
  
"Who's a bubble-head!" snapped Venus.  
  
"Hey! The kid!" screamed Vesta.  
  
Everyone looked and saw the little girl running toward Mercury,   
Mars and Venus. Juno raised her hand to attack, but at the last   
moment held back. Something about the girl's posture told her not to   
attack her.  
  
"Ami?" the little girl cried, anguished tears streaming down   
her face. For all the destruction she had caused, now she looked   
only like a fragile little girl.  
  
"Sakiko?" gasped Mercury. She knelt down and the little girl   
jumped into her arms. She held onto Mercury as tight as she could,   
crying out all of her fears and hurts onto Mercury's comforting   
shoulder. Jupiter eased up next to Mars.  
  
"They know each other?" Jupiter asked.  
  
"Yeah," Mars said, stunned by the turn of events. "We met her   
before you joined up. I think Venus was still in England." She   
watched the little urchin cling desperately to Mercury. "Poor kid.   
She looks like her whole world's crashed down around her. I wonder   
what she's doing in Tokyo."  
  
"Oh, Ami, I thought I was never going to find you!" wailed   
Sakiko. "And-and everybody was just being so mean to me!"  
  
"It's all right now, Sakiko," whispered Mercury. "You're safe.   
But what are you doing here?"  
  
"Looking for you," cried the girl.  
  
"Is your father with you?"  
  
"That's why I came looking for you," Sakiko sniffled. "Ami,   
Papa won't wake up!"  
  
Mercury and Mars exchanged horrified glances with each other.   
* * * *  
In the future, Queen Serenity stared out the window of her   
chambers in the palace. Sailor Venus and Sailor Jupiter eased into   
the room and found her. She was in the same spot she was in when   
they'd left her this morning - - staring out the window.  
  
"Have you moved from that spot?" Jupiter asked her.  
  
"Yes," sighed Serenity. "I had a fine lunch that I don't   
remember eating. I also got up twice when my bottom got tired and   
once to tell Rei to stop worrying about me." She turned to them.   
"Now, do you have anything to tell me?"  
  
"Well, the door of time's unlocked," Venus reported. "There's   
no way to tell if Usa's used it, but we've scoured the kingdom and we   
can't find a trace of her."  
  
"Endymion told me he's been in contact with Helios in Elysian   
and she's definitely not there," Jupiter added.  
  
"I sealed that door," Serenity scowled, "just to keep things   
like this from happening. Without Pluto around, that thing's just   
too dangerous. I can't imagine where she got a key, though."  
  
"Hey, she's your daughter," Venus shrugged. "Maybe she made   
one out of moonbeams and thin air."  
  
"If she did, I'd be almost proud of her," Serenity huffed.   
"She's doing this just to spite me, you know."  
  
"Come on, hon'," grinned Jupiter. "You know better than that."  
  
"You know how she's gotten the last couple of years. It's like   
everything I do is guaranteed to annoy her in some manner. I'm   
afraid to open my mouth around her anymore."  
  
"Serenity, a lot of kids are like that, especially at her age,"   
Venus smiled. "You remember the titanic battles I had with my mom   
when I was fifteen? We got better. It just takes a little patience   
on the mom's part and a little maturity on the kid's part."  
  
"Besides, we all went through it a thousand years ago," Jupiter   
added. "You know how it's going to end. What are you worried   
about?"  
  
"Something going wrong," Serenity suggested. "And even if it   
goes like we remember it, she's going to go through so much."  
  
"Loosen up the apron strings, Mama," Jupiter grinned, massaging   
Serenity's shoulders.  
  
"You wouldn't say that if it was YOUR daughter in the past,"   
Serenity retorted.  
  
"But it's not, so that's why I can," Jupiter taunted playfully.  
  
"Go on!" they all heard Luna bluster angrily. "Get in there!"   
They each turned and found Luna shoving Diana through the door.   
Luna's eyes were blazing, while Diana's face showed poorly concealed   
irritation. "Your Majesty! Diana has something to tell you!" When   
Diana didn't respond immediately, Luna whacked her across her tail   
with a paw. "Well? Speak up!"  
  
"Mom, would you lighten up!" huffed Diana in her familiar   
throaty voice. The gray cat, now fully grown, gathered up what   
little dignity she could salvage and turned to the queen. "Your   
Majesty," she began reluctantly, "I gave a time key to Usagi-Chibi."  
  
"How did you get them?" Serenity asked.  
  
"Before she went into the past," Diana related, "Sailor Pluto   
entrusted me with the time keys. She asked me to guard them with my   
life. It's a mission I'm only too glad to perform."  
  
"Then why'd you give one to Usa?" gasped Venus.  
  
"Because she has to prove herself," Diana replied. "Both to   
you, Your Highness, and to herself. If she doesn't, she's going to   
doubt herself for the rest of her life. And she can't use the   
crystal with doubt."  
  
"You're right about that," Serenity whispered.  
  
"Besides," Diana continued. "She misses her friends terribly.   
I didn't think it would hurt anything to let her take a short visit   
to see Hotaru and Momoko - - especially when we all know this is her   
last chance."  
  
"It wasn't your decision to make," Luna said through clenched   
teeth.  
  
Diana glared at her mother, then turned to the queen. "Your   
Majesty, how did you put up with her all those years?"  
  
Serenity smirked while Luna sputtered. "Diana, sometimes I   
wonder that myself."  
  
"Really! Of all the nerve!" huffed Luna.  
  
"Oh, Luna, hush," Serenity said. "What's done is done. We're   
just going to have to trust in Usa's ability to rise to the occasion.   
Heck, I learned on the job."  
  
"Yes, and I've got the scars to prove it," Luna jabbed back.   
Venus and Jupiter giggled.  
* * * *  
Sailor Moon was still caring for the recovering Tuxedo Mask   
when she saw Sailor Mars walk up. She posed an unasked question.  
  
"It's handled," Mars replied. "Do you remember Sakiko? From   
the inn?"  
  
"Yeah," nodded Sailor Moon. "Was it her doing this? Rei,   
what's happened?"  
  
"She's pretty upset. She came looking for Ami. We think her   
father may have died."  
  
"That's terrible," cried Sailor Moon. "Oh, that poor child!"  
  
"Yeah, and when someone with that level of telekinetic power   
gets upset and afraid, things tend to break. She's going to stay   
with Ami tonight. I thought tomorrow I'd take the train up to the   
inn and try to nail down some facts." Mars glanced at Tuxedo Mask,   
still clearing his head. "How's he doing?"  
  
"HE'LL be fine," Tuxedo Mask grumbled. He tried to gain his   
feet and only succeeded with an assist from Sailor Moon.  
  
"He's being stubborn," Sailor Moon said to Mars.  
  
"Yeah, but you know how cute he gets when he's stubborn," joked   
Mars.  
  
"YOU'RE not supposed to notice things like that anymore,"   
Sailor Moon playfully warned.  
  
"Meow," Mars grinned, shaking her nose at her. "The Amazoness   
brats are going to crash with Makoto for now. Think you can take   
care of him?"  
  
"I'm willing to bet a wedding ring on it," Sailor Moon replied.   
Mars noticed Tuxedo Mask blush, chuckled and walked off.  
  
The crisis over, both people reverted to their other forms.   
Mamoru, leaning on Usagi for support, took several steps forward with   
increasing confidence and dexterity. Then he stopped suddenly.   
  
"Mamo-chan?" she asked him, looking up with concern. "Does it   
hurt somewhere else?"  
  
"No," Mamoru replied vacantly. Then he turned to her. "Is   
Chibi-Usa back in this time?"  
  
"I haven't seen her," Usagi replied. "But now that you mention   
it, the Amazoness senshi said they were here looking for the   
princess. I guess they meant her. Why?"  
  
"I can - - feel her. The way I can sense you."  
  
Usagi looked out into the dwindling light of the evening. "I   
wonder why she hasn't contacted us. I hope nothing's happened to   
her."  
  
Continued in part 4  



	4. Secrets

PINK REBELLION  
Part Four: "Secrets"  
By Bill K.  
  
The four Amazoness Senshi walked down the palace corridor   
leading to the royal receiving chamber. Sailor Ceres glanced   
nervously at Sailor Juno.  
  
"What do you suppose the Queen summoned us for?" Ceres   
ventured.  
  
"We're in trouble," scowled Sailor Vesta.  
  
"Maybe not," Juno replied.  
  
"She's not going to summon us to the royal receiving chamber   
unless we're in trouble," Vesta maintained.  
  
"Well if we are in trouble, it's probably for something YOU   
did," Ceres snipped.  
  
"It's probably for something you did," mocked Vesta. "Man, you   
are such a priss!"  
  
"Would you two stop," sighed Juno. "Pallas, do you know   
anything about this?"  
  
Sailor Pallas smiled vacantly. "We're going on a trip."  
  
"We are? Where?"  
  
She looked at Juno. "Pallas is going to make a pretty dress   
for her doll," she said happily. Then she sobered. "If Pallas ever   
learns how to sew." Vesta rolled her eyes.  
  
Entering the chamber, the quartet saw both Queen Serenity and   
King Endymion sitting on their thrones. The elder senshi flanked   
them and Artemis, Luna and Diana sat to the right. Suppressing their   
nervousness, the four entered and knelt before the king and queen.  
  
"I wish you wouldn't make them do that," they heard Serenity   
whisper to Sailor Venus.  
  
"It's good for them," Venus whispered back. "It teaches them   
humility."  
  
"And what would you know about humility?" Serenity whispered.   
  
"Please rise," Endymion said and the quartet complied. "The   
Princess has run away from home."  
  
The four younger senshi all gasped.  
  
"Why?" Vesta asked.  
  
"Vesta, it's none of our business!" hissed Ceres.  
  
"No, it's all right," Serenity smiled. "My daughter felt it   
was necessary to prove herself worthy of being Sailor Moon. Of   
course she doesn't have to do such a thing, but she feels she does."  
  
"Where did she go?" Juno asked.  
  
"The past. She's gone to prevent a specific incident from   
happening," Endymion said.  
  
"Pardon me, Your Majesty," Juno said quickly, "but isn't that   
dangerous? The Princess could change the past."  
  
"The possibility exists," Endymion nodded. "How great a   
possibility depends upon her."  
  
"Your majesty," Vesta interrupted. "Our sacred duty is to   
protect The Princess. Please send us back into the past so we can do   
that."  
  
Serenity smiled. "Your enthusiasm is gratifying. It makes me   
think I've chosen my daughter's senshi well. Your request is   
granted."  
  
"But please remember one thing," warned Sailor Mercury. "If   
you four go into the past, you make it that much more likely the past   
will be changed. You must be careful to tell no one about what   
happens in their future - - not even Sailor Moon or the senshi."  
  
"We understand, Sensei Mercury-sama," Juno replied.  
  
Serenity glanced at the cats. On cue, Diana jumped to the   
floor and scampered over to the throne. She jumped into Serenity's   
lap and transferred a ruby and gold key from her mouth to Serenity's   
palm.   
  
"This key will be your means to journey through time. Diana   
will show you how to use it." Serenity handed the key to Juno.   
  
"Um, Your Majesty," Ceres asked hesitantly. "Are we to prevent   
The Princess from doing what she intends to do?"  
  
"No," Serenity said. "Your jobs as senshi are to protect and   
support Sailor Chibi-Moon. You must not impede her, nor must you   
smother her in your zeal to protect her. You must at all times defer   
to her, even if you disagree with her intentions. Her growth into   
Sailor Moon will be achieved through many things. She will grow from   
victories she has fought for, as well as defeats she must endure.   
But she will grow most of all from the faith and support of her   
senshi."  
  
"Yeah, if she'll let us," muttered Vesta. Ceres nudged her   
impatiently.  
  
"You must also have faith in your ability to win her over,"   
Serenity said. "Sometimes the deepest friendships are the hardest   
ones to establish at first." Serenity glanced back at Sailor Mars   
and Mars returned her smile.  
  
"Yes, Your Majesty," they replied, but their elders could see   
they didn't quite understand.  
  
"Goodbye," Endymion told them, "and good fortune with your   
mission."  
  
The quartet bowed and headed out. As they left, Pallas turned   
to Juno, smiled, and said, "Told you."  
* * * *  
"Ami?" Mrs. Mizuno called out as she entered the door. "I'm   
home!"  
  
Finding the odor of hot food in the front room, the tired   
doctor slipped on her slippers and entered the kitchen, expecting to   
find her daughter serving two plates of whatever she'd cooked for   
dinner. However, she didn't expect company.  
  
"Why . . .?" the woman remarked, surprised by the timid little   
girl sitting at the table with Ami. "Well who is this?"  
  
"Mother, please meet Sakiko," Ami said pleasantly. The girl   
bowed meekly. She stared at Ami's mother with shy suspicion and   
didn't utter a word.   
  
"I'm pleased to meet you," Mrs. Mizuno smiled. She seemed only   
slightly less imposing when she smiled and Sakiko turned to Ami for   
reassurance. "Is Sakiko a friend of yours?"  
  
"Yes," Ami nodded. "Do you remember when I went to that resort   
about two years ago with Usagi and Rei? Well, Sakiko is the daughter   
of the owner of the resort and we became good friends during my stay   
there."  
  
"That's nice," smiled Mrs. Mizuno. "Are you visiting Tokyo   
with your father?"  
  
Sakiko immediately tensed. Ami touched her mother's hand to   
get her attention.  
  
"Mother," Ami said, "may we go into the other room. There are   
a few things I must explain to you."  
  
"A-All right," she nodded. They started to leave, but a   
plaintive voice stopped them.  
  
"Ami?" Sakiko said, openly uneasy about Ami's departure.  
  
"I'll just be in the other room, Sakiko-chan," Ami said,   
holding the girl's hand. "It'll just be for a few minutes. There's   
no need to be frightened. There's nothing here that will hurt you."  
  
Sakiko clearly wasn't enamored with the prospect, but didn't   
protest further. Ami ushered her mother into the living room.  
  
"Mother, there are a few things you need to know about Sakiko,"   
Ami said. "First, we think her father may be dead."  
  
"Oh, dear," gasped Mrs. Mizuno. "That poor child. Is her   
mother gone, too?" Ami nodded. "Oh, dear. What happened?"  
  
"That's - - still being looked into," Ami replied. "There's   
something else you need to know. Sakiko has telekinetic powers."  
  
Her mother looked at Ami skeptically. "You've seen this?"  
  
"Yes. Sakiko may have the most powerful telekinesis ever   
known."  
  
"Really? That's amazing. Just how powerful are we talking   
about?"  
  
Ami seemed reluctant to answer. "Did you hear about what   
happened downtown tonight?"  
  
"Yes, the news said there was some sort of monster that caused   
massive . . ." and the woman halted, realizing what her daughter was   
getting at. "That little girl did all that?"  
  
"She was upset and afraid, Mother."  
  
"Have you called the police?"  
  
"Mother, Sakiko's not a criminal. She's a scared and lonely   
little girl who's suffered a trauma."  
  
"I'm not saying she's a criminal, Ami. But she's clearly   
dangerous. It's what the authorities are there to deal with."  
  
"And what would they do, Mother? Take her to some lab and turn   
her into some sort of test animal? What kind of life is that for a   
little girl?"  
  
"And what do you propose, Ami? That we adopt her?"  
  
"I'm only asking that she stay here until we can sort out   
what's happened and find out if she has any relatives we can place   
her with," Ami argued.  
  
"We?" her mother queried. "Ami, answer me one question - -   
truthfully - - is Usagi involved in this?"  
  
Ami looked down. "Peripherally," she admitted squeamishly.  
  
Her mother emitted a tired sigh. "Very well. Just be sure you   
realize the burden you're taking on here. This is a little girl, not   
a lost puppy . . ."  
  
The loud crash of a dinner plate came from the kitchen.   
Alarmed, both women raced into the kitchen. They found Sakiko   
sitting in her chair. Her broken dinner plate and all the food on it   
was splattered on the floor near her.  
  
"I'm sorry," Sakiko offered, then cringed as if she expected to   
be struck. Her heart melting, Ami went over and knelt down next to   
Sakiko.   
  
"Did you try to pick it up?" Ami asked. Sakiko nodded   
silently. "And it was a little too heavy for you?" Again she   
nodded. "Are you hurt?" Sakiko shook her head. "Well, that's the   
important thing. Now let's clean up this mess. Do you want to   
help?"  
  
Sakiko's eyes widened when she realized she wouldn't be   
punished. The edges of her mouth curled up and she nodded   
enthusiastically.  
  
Mrs. Mizuno looked on, admiring the deft way her daughter   
handled this unfortunate little girl. At the same time, she couldn't   
help worrying that they were involved in something neither was   
equipped to handle.  
* * * *  
Strewn all over Makoto's living room were four fifteen-year-old   
girls. Curled up on the sofa was Ceres. Nestled in an armchair was   
Pallas. Juno and Vesta roughed it on the floor in sleeping bags.   
Makoto had offered her bed to the four, but Juno, Ceres and Vesta   
seemed quite horrified by the thought of displacing her. Pallas was   
disappointed, but reluctantly fell in line and the Amazons found   
places in the living room instead. There they slept until the first   
dawn of morning.  
  
Jun-Jun noticed it first: the pleasant odor wafting gently   
through the room. Her nose seemed to wiggle as the scent tickled her   
nostrils. An eye leisurely opened. It took her a few moments to   
remember she was in the twentieth century, because that heavenly odor   
was just so pleasant and so familiar. She kept still in her bag,   
taking it in as a smile spread across her lips. As she lay there,   
she noticed Ves-Ves begin to stir.  
  
"Shh," she whispered, bringing Ves-Ves to full waking. "Smell   
that?"  
  
Ves-Ves sniffed and her eyes lit up. Rising up onto her hip,   
she reached over and picked up a throw pillow Palla-Palla had   
knocked from the chair during the night. Rudely she flung it at   
Cere-Cere, bouncing the pillow off the girl's crimson head.  
  
"Hey!" howled Cere-Cere, wrenched awake. "Ves-Ves!"  
  
"Take a sniff," Ves-Ves grinned.  
  
Reluctantly Cere-Cere complied. Instantly her anger   
dissipated.  
  
"Sensei Jupiter-sama's cooking!" she grinned.  
  
Makoto turned from her duties at the kitchen range and glanced   
over her shoulder. Framed in the doorway were four Amazons with huge   
smiles and hopeful looks on their faces.  
  
"Well, Mom always said the hardest secret to keep is that   
you're cooking breakfast," Makoto smiled.  
  
"Pardon us, please, Sensei Jupiter-sama," Cere-Cere said as   
politely as she could. "We don't mean to impose . . ."  
  
"It's no imposition," chuckled Makoto. "I made enough for   
everybody. Get cleaned up and it'll be ready when you get back."  
  
"Goody goody goody!" Palla-Palla squealed as the four teens   
scampered off.  
  
The table was set for five and Makoto and the Amazons sat down   
together. Palla-Palla reached for her plate and instantly had her   
hand smacked by Cere-Cere. Makoto noticed the others waiting   
anxiously.  
  
"Well go ahead," Makoto prodded them.   
  
"We're not supposed to eat before an elder does," Jun-Jun told   
her humbly.  
  
"I'm not THAT much older than you four," Makoto grinned.  
  
"Forgive us, Sensei Jupiter-sama," Jun-Jun said. "We can't   
help but think of you as your future self."  
  
"Yeah, you've changed so little," Palla-Palla smiled.  
  
"Palla-Palla!" hissed Cere-Cere.  
  
"It's all right," Makoto smiled. "I take it as a compliment."  
  
"No, it's just that we were warned by Sensei Mercury-sama not   
to tell anyone about the future - - not even the senshi."  
  
"Oh," Makoto replied. "Well, that's pretty good advice if it   
came from Ami. But as for the rest of this, you are guests here, not   
students. That means I am Makoto, not Sensei Jupiter-sama, and you   
four are free to relax and do what you like, so long as you don't   
abuse my hospitality. OK?" The girls nodded. "Good. Now let's   
eat. Your breakfast is getting cold."  
  
She noticed Palla-Palla hung back until the others started   
eating, probably so she wouldn't risk getting smacked again. As she   
ate, Makoto observed this strange crew. She was struck by how   
different they were from the corrupted children they'd been under   
Neherenia, and yet core personality traits seemed to shine through   
again.   
  
"So, do you girls like being senshi?" Makoto ventured.  
  
"Yes, Sensei," then Cere-Cere caught herself, "um, Makoto.   
It's a tremendous honor to serve the royal family and very exciting   
being in the palace."  
  
"Yeah, and our senshi powers are just too cool," grinned   
Ves-Ves.  
  
"And it gives us a chance to make up for what we did in the   
past," Jun-Jun added.  
  
"Well, that's very noble," Makoto told her. "But everybody   
knows you four were just being used by Neherenia, don't they?"  
  
"Well, not everyone seems as forgiving of our past as Queen   
Serenity," Cere-Cere replied. "Of course, you've been great to   
us - - um, will be great to us. And Sensei Mercury-sama accepts that   
we've changed."  
  
"Sensei Venus-sama is a little rough on us," noted Ves-Ves.   
"But she's just doing that to make us the best senshi we can be, so I   
can respect it. And she knows so much!"  
  
"What about Mars?" asked Makoto.  
  
"She was a little suspicious of us at first," Jun-Jun admitted.   
"But the Queen helped us win her over."  
  
"Yeah, Usagi's good at that," grinned Makoto. "So, do you and   
Chibi-Usa get along well?"  
  
"Not at all," Palla-Palla chirped through a mouthful of   
sausage. "She hates us."  
* * * *  
"Take care, Hotaru," Michiru said, waiving to Hotaru as the   
girl headed out for school. "We'll see you tonight. Is Usa still in   
bed?"  
  
"Yes, Michiru-mama," Hotaru replied. "I tried waking her once,   
but she looked so peaceful I thought I'd let her sleep."  
  
"Sounds like someone I know," Haruka joked. "I hear tell you   
can't wake Usagi up with an air-horn." She stuck her head up over   
Michiru's shoulder. "You come right home after school now. I don't   
want you out chasing after all the pretty girls."  
  
"Oh, Papa!" huffed Hotaru.  
  
"HOTARRUUUUUUUU!" everyone heard Usa shriek from upstairs. It   
was followed by such a loud clatter that Haruka and Michiru thought   
the girl was wrestling with a trio of grizzly bears. Moments later a   
fifteen-year-old pink-topped streak with patches of green came   
tearing down the staircase. She nearly tripped on the fifth step,   
but managed to somehow keep her balance. "I'll walk you to school!"   
cried Usa and she raced out the door after Hotaru.  
  
"That would be nice, Usa-chan," Hotaru smiled as if nothing   
were wrong.  
  
Haruka and Michiru glanced at each other, bemused.  
  
"We can spend more time together after today," Hotaru told Usa   
as they walked. With nothing else to wear, Usa had borrowed one of   
Michiru's dresses, while Hotaru was in her school uniform. "Break   
starts tomorrow. I think the high school is already out. They're so   
lucky."  
  
"I'd like that," Usa smiled. "So how do you like living with   
Haruka and Michiru and Setsuna?  
  
"They're cool. Setsuna-mama's really smart about a lot of   
things and Michiru-mama's just such a cool person. I really admire   
her and I wish I could be just like her. And Haruka-papa's so nice   
to me and," and Hotaru's cheeks began to grow red, "well, if she was   
a guy, I think I'd be having some dreams about her I'm not supposed   
to be having."  
  
"I know what you mean," Usa replied, her own cheeks flushing.  
  
"You think Haruka-papa's sexy?"  
  
"Not her. I meant," and Usa stopped self-consciously. "Um,   
never mind. How does your real Dad feel about you living there?"  
  
Hotaru looked down. "My real dad died."  
  
"Professor Tomoe? When?"  
  
"About eight months ago, during the battle with Sailor   
Galaxia." She noticed the stricken look on Usa's face. "Dad never   
did fully recover from being a host for Pharaoh 90's advance guard.   
He hung on for a while, but when Sailor Galaxia stole everybody's   
star seeds, well - - the separation was just too much for him."  
  
"Hotaru-chan, I'm so sorry."  
  
"At least he's not in pain anymore," Hotaru replied sadly.   
"His last few months weren't good ones."  
  
The girls walked along in sober silence.  
  
"Usa-chan," Hotaru began cautiously. "When is this - -   
mysterious event supposed to happen? The one you came into the past   
to fight?"  
  
"Soon; that's all I can really tell you. I wish it were   
longer. I wanted to come back months before it happened, but I kind   
of goofed with the time key. I want to spend as much time with you   
as I can."  
  
Hotaru smiled.  
  
"Didn't Sailor Pluto help you go back in time?" Hotaru asked.  
  
"She's not around anymore," Usa admitted. "She went on a   
mission about three of my years ago into the past and she never came   
back."  
  
"Do you think she's dead?"  
  
"I don't know. Nobody seems to know. I hope she's not, but I   
just don't know." Usa glanced at Hotaru and noticed a look of   
extreme sadness. "What's wrong?"  
  
"I was thinking about Setsuna-mama," Hotaru said. "Now I know   
what you mean about knowing other people's futures."  
  
"Yeah. Sucks, doesn't it?"  
  
The two girls turned the corner and ran directly into a group   
of four boys. The boys, loitering by the wall of the school,   
instantly straightened up upon seeing Hotaru.  
  
"Hey, it's the demon-girl," chuckled one of the boys. The   
others broke out into cruel smiles.  
  
"Come on, Usa," Hotaru whispered to her companion. The   
embarrassed girl tried to sidestep them, but one boy shifted into her   
path.  
  
"Eat any children today, demon-girl?" one of them jabbed. "Or   
are you saving them for lunch?"  
  
"Leave her alone!" Usa demanded.  
  
"Hey, hot stuff," one of the boys leered at her, while the   
others admired her womanly figure. "Don't you look fine. Why are   
you traveling with the demon-girl? She cast a spell on you or   
something?"  
  
"Maybe she needs to be rescued," grinned another.  
  
"Hey, what's with the pink hair? Demon-girl do that to you?"  
  
"Leave us alone!" Usa warned angrily. "I'm giving you fair   
warning!"  
  
"Move aside," the group leader said, gently shoving his mates   
aside. "I'm about to rescue me a damsel in distress." Cruel laughter   
came from the gang. "And she's going to be soooo grateful."  
  
The four boys advanced on Usa and Hotaru. Desperately, Hotaru   
searched the area for someone in authority that could help them while   
Usa stood her ground bravely.  
  
Continued in Chapter 5   



	5. First Blood

PINK REBELLION  
Chapter Five: "First Blood"  
By Bill K.  
  
Usagi and Rei stood on the train platform. Rei's train was   
just beginning to board.  
  
"Good-bye, Rei," Usagi said, hugging her friend tight. "I'm   
going to miss you."  
  
"Usagi, I'm just going down to the inn," Rei scowled. "I'll be   
back by tomorrow at the latest!"  
  
"Well I'll still miss you," Usagi whimpered.  
  
"You seriously need to grow a brain, do you know that?"  
  
Shaking her head, Rei ventured into the train. Usagi frowned   
and stuck her tongue out at the girl's back.  
  
"I saw that," Rei said as the doors closed behind her.  
  
"I was counting on it!" Usagi bellowed back.   
  
She watched as the train pulled out. As it did, her anger   
mellowed into a wistful melancholy. When the train sped up and got   
out of sight, Usagi turned and wandered back into the station.   
Pausing long enough to buy a couple of odangos from a station vendor,   
Usagi headed for home.  
* * * *  
Usagi-chibi stood her ground as the four teenage boys   
approached. They were openly contemptuous of her. But Hotaru   
noticed Usa had assumed a defensive stance similar to one she   
recalled seeing Haruka use during one of the woman's practice   
sessions.  
  
"Let's just take care of this intrusion, cutie, and we can   
. . ." began the nearest boy. He couldn't finish, because a sweeping   
roundhouse kick impacted with his mouth and knocked him down to the   
sidewalk.  
  
"Look, she thinks she's Michelle Yeoh!" snarled another of the   
gang.   
  
He lunged forward and snapped off a good facsimile of a right   
thrust. But Usa blocked it with ease, then grasped onto the boy's   
shirt sleeve, twisted her body and threw him down beside his friend   
with a very compact hip toss.  
  
"Hey, all we wanted to have was a little fun," said one of the   
two youths still standing. He produced a switchblade from his jacket   
and popped the blade. "If you want to fight, doll, we can fight."  
  
Keeping her eye on the blade at all times, Usa stood her   
ground.  
  
"It's not too late to end this peacefully," Usa told him   
firmly, but as non-threateningly as she could. "Put the knife away   
and just leave and nobody gets hurt."  
  
"I've got a better idea," said the boy with the knife as his   
three companions closed ranks behind him. "You do just what we tell   
you, cutie, and nobody gets hurt."  
  
"Usa!" hissed Hotaru frantically. "Run! I'll try to hold them   
off!"  
  
Instead, Usa held her right hand up.  
  
"Moon Prism Power Make Up!" she yelled. A pink and yellow   
light bathed her. The gang stared in amazement as they watched what   
occurred. Hotaru stared as well, but for wholly different reasons.  
  
As the lights dissipated, in place of the pretty   
fifteen-year-old with the pink hair was a gorgeous female in a white   
fuku with pink accessories and a pink, yellow and white skirt. Her   
shoulder length ribbons of pink hair blew in the breeze as she stood   
proud and tall.  
  
"You four who have nothing better to do than to inflict fear   
and suffering on innocent people for your own amusement, know that   
your time has come! I stand for love and justice and I stand in your   
path! I am Sailor Moon! And in the name of the Moon, I will punish   
you!"  
  
"This is too weird," mumbled one of the gang.  
  
"That's a nice speech, honey," sneered the boy with the knife,   
"but we're still four to your one. Even if the demon-girl helps,   
you're still outnumbered."  
  
Sailor Chibi-Moon's response was to produce the Chibi-Moon Rod.  
  
"Pink Sugar Heart Attack!" she yelled. The heart-shaped sparks   
produced by the rod struck the knife hand of the youth. Stung, he   
dropped the knife and clutched his hand. Looking up angrily, the   
youth was just in time to see the heel of Chibi-Moon's pink boot   
strike him. He spun to the ground.  
  
During the melee, Hotaru dived for the knife and retrieved it.   
However, she wasn't fast enough to get to safety and one of the boys   
grabbed her. Tearing away just enough, Hotaru flung the knife as far   
as she could. The youth, though, only released her when a swift blow   
from Chibi-Moon to the underside of his elbow broke his grip and a   
palm thrust to his ribs put him down. Chibi-Moon pivoted, keeping   
Hotaru behind her, to deal with any attack the others might make.  
  
Unexpectedly, the air was cleaved by the swift motion of an   
object. At first it seemed to be a small missile, but when everyone   
looked down, they saw a single red rose sticking out of the cement.  
  
"Women are here for men to cherish, not to abuse," and they all   
turned to see a tall man in tuxedo and cape standing over them on a   
wall of the schoolyard. "For any man to do anything else calls into   
question his very manhood and invites the wrath of Tuxedo Mask."  
  
That was enough. The four youths turned and ran without even   
looking back. Sailor Chibi-Moon turned and looked up to her future   
father and protector.  
  
And said, "Daddy! I was handling it!"  
  
It was the first time Hotaru could recall seeing Tuxedo Mask   
startled.  
* * * *  
Makoto led the Amazoness senshi down the street. The quartet   
were transformed back into their non-senshi forms. The idea was so   
they didn't stand out; however, the combination of their unique   
hairstyles and their thirtieth century fashions didn't do much to   
accomplish that goal.  
  
"Do you really think we need Sensei Venus . . .um, Minako?"   
asked Cere-Cere.  
  
"If we're going to track down Chibi-Usa, she's the one to do   
it," Makoto replied. They stopped in front of the arcade.  
  
"So why are we here?" asked Jun-Jun.  
  
"Well, she and her mom had another fight, so this was the next   
logical place to look." Makoto grinned at the teens. "Remember I   
said Minako was probably occupied with 'higher pursuits'?"  
  
The five entered the arcade and looked around. Spotting Motoki   
behind the counter, Makoto led the Amazons over.  
  
"Hey, Motoki," Makoto waved, then noticed the stiff manner in   
which he was standing. "Something wrong?"  
  
"I'm just a little sore," Motoki grimaced.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"We had a little trouble here yesterday. You wouldn't believe   
it if I told you, though. Heck, I don't even believe it and I was   
here." He noticed the Amazons, particularly Cere-Cere, who was   
giving him a lustful glance. It wasn't the first time he'd gotten a   
lustful glance from one of the younger patrons, but never from   
someone who dressed so strangely.  
  
"Hey, have you seen Minako in here?" Makoto asked.  
  
"Does the day end in 'y'?" grinned Motoki. "She's in here   
somewhere."  
  
Makoto nodded and went off to look for her. As the Amazons   
followed, Palla-Palla nudged up against Cere-Cere.  
  
"Cere-Cere's in love," the girl teased.  
  
"Oh be quiet," grumbled Cere-Cere, her cheeks coloring.  
  
Even though it was the last day of junior high, it seemed a few   
students decided to get a jump on the break. Even with that, it was   
simple to pick out a sixteen-year-old blonde amid twelve and   
thirteen-year-olds. Palla-Palla pointed her out with a squeal of   
delight; Minako was still trying to conquer the Formula-One video   
game.  
  
"MMMmm!" Minako groaned, gritting her teeth as she tried   
unsuccessfully to negotiate a hairpin turn on the screen. In shock,   
she watched her virtual race car spin out, go airborne, then crash in   
flames. For a solitary moment it looked like her fist was going to   
go through the screen, but she reined in her emotions and accepted   
her defeat peacefully, if not gracefully.  
  
"Wipe out again?" teased Makoto. "Warn me when you get your   
driver's license, huh? I want to move to another country."  
  
"Watch it," Minako said through gritted teeth. "I am in no   
mood to be heckled." She glanced at the Amazons. "Baby-sitting, I   
see." Jun-Jun and Ves-Ves shot acid glares her way.  
  
"If you can tear yourself away from embarrassing yourself   
further," Makoto told her, "we need to track down Chibi-Usa."  
  
"Chibi-Usa's back in town, huh? Did you try Usagi's place?"   
Minako suggested.  
  
"Duh! She's not there."  
  
"Hmm. Mamoru's?"  
  
"Wrong again."  
  
"OK," and Minako began to ponder. As she did, Ves-Ves watched   
her, soaking up everything the girl did. "How about Haruka and   
Michiru's place? If she's in this time, she's bound to hook up with   
Hotaru sooner or later."  
  
Makoto rolled her eyes and smacked her forehead. The gesture   
brought a satisfied smirk to Minako's face.  
  
"Your apology is accepted," the blonde smirked. Turning back   
to her game, Minako noticed Ves-Ves in the seat next to her. Her   
eyebrow arched. "Thinking of challenging me, little one?"  
  
"Yeah," snickered Ves-Ves. "I doubt I could be as bad as you   
are and I've never played this game before."  
  
"You little . . ." blustered Minako.  
  
"Ves-Ves," sighed Jun-Jun. "We have work to do. Come on!"  
  
Expelling an exaggerated sigh, Ves-Ves got up and followed the   
others out. As she left, she glanced back at Minako and pointed.  
  
"You got lucky this time," Ves-Ves bragged.  
  
"Anytime you want a piece of me, kid, I'm here," Minako called   
back. Only after the girl was gone did Minako allow herself to show   
her amusement.  
* * * *  
"You were very brave, Usa," Hotaru smiled at her wistfully.   
Usa had abandoned her Sailor transformation and walked with her   
friend. Mamoru trailed the pair at a discreet distance. "Where did   
you learn to fight like that?"  
  
"Mostly from Makoto-san, although I picked up a few tricks from   
Minako-san as well," Usa grinned. "I kind of had to, since my Sailor   
attack is so puny. And it's so embarrassing, too. I hate to even   
use it sometimes." The pair walked along. "Do those guys pick on   
you a lot? And what's with that 'demon-girl' stuff?"  
  
"They have long memories," Hotaru replied cryptically. Usa   
continued to stare at her with concern. "I'm just the outsider, I   
guess." She shrugged. "Every class has outsiders - - people who   
don't seem to belong. I don't get picked on any more than anyone   
else. I suppose you get used to it." Suddenly a fear seemed to grip   
Hotaru. "Please don't say anything about this to my folks."  
  
Usa looked at her uneasily. "Sure," she whispered finally.   
"After all, you're keeping my secret. I owe you that."  
  
They arrived at Hotaru's school. Hotaru paused at the gate and   
hugged Usa fervently. When she heard the bell, the girl tore away   
and scampered for the door. Usa watched with a heavy heart as her   
friend disappeared into the school. Then she sensed Mamoru behind   
her. She turned to him, but did nothing to end the awkward silence   
between them.  
  
"You've certainly grown since I've seen you last," Mamoru   
offered. "You're almost as tall as I am now."  
  
"Thank you," Usa replied in a very small voice. She wouldn't,   
or couldn't, look at him.  
  
"Why are you in the past?" he asked.  
  
"Well, I'm," she began haltingly, "on a mission - - as Sailor   
Moon. I-I'm Sailor Moon now. And I wanted to visit Hotaru."  
  
"Both worthy goals," Mamoru said. He put his arm around Usa's   
shoulders and they walked down the street. "I apologize if I   
interfered."  
  
"I'm sorry if I was short with you," Usa replied penitently.   
"It's just that you're kind of going to make a habit of doing that in   
the future."  
  
"Ohhhh," nodded Mamoru. "Well, if I'm anything like I am now,   
I won't be able to help it. I have this urgent need inside me to   
protect the two women I love most of all. All I can do is ask you to   
bear with me."  
  
"Man, why is it so much easier to talk to you than it is to   
him?" Usa scowled.  
  
"Age, maybe? We're only, what, four or five years apart now?   
Maybe I don't intimidate you as much as he does."  
  
"I don't know about that," Usa muttered to herself, trying to   
expel thoughts from her brain that she didn't want to be thinking   
right now, particularly with the close proximity she was in to   
Mamoru.  
  
"So what convinced me to let you go into the past again?"   
Mamoru asked.  
  
Usa tensed. She could feel herself blushing and wasn't able to   
stop it.  
  
"Or did you convince me? Is that why you sought out Hotaru   
first and not me or Usagi?" Mamoru asked.  
  
"Don't be mad," grimaced Usa. She felt Mamoru's hand stroke   
the hair on the back of her head.  
  
"I'm more disappointed than anything," Mamoru told her.   
"Either you ignored good advice to satisfy your own whims or I've   
become so rigid that it forced you to this. Neither alternative   
thrills me."  
  
"You don't understand," Usa replied with the agony of youth.  
  
"I'm willing to listen."  
  
Usa sighed helplessly. "I can't, Mamo-chan. You're not   
supposed to know. I shouldn't have even told you this much."  
  
"I see. You're probably right. I guess I'll just have to have   
faith in my beautiful, smart daughter." Mamoru leaned over and   
kissed Usa on the cheek. "I think I can do that."  
  
Mamoru watched Usa's reaction. She didn't say anything, but he   
could see her chest swell. It made him feel good.  
  
"I do think you should drop by and pay Usagi a call, though,"   
Mamoru added. "She's very worried."  
  
"Do I have to?" groaned Usa.   
* * * *  
Climbing the path to the Pension Adams Inn, Rei wiped her brow.   
The journey hadn't gotten any easier in two plus years. At least the   
woods were less ominous when the day was sunny and not clouded with   
an approaching storm. And she wasn't lugging bags or listening to   
Usagi whine this time, either.  
  
Clearing the woods, she looked up the hill to where the Inn   
should have been. Instead, Rei found ruins.  
  
"Oh my goodness!" gasped Rei. She quickened her pace and   
headed toward the wreckage.  
  
The closer she got, the more Rei could see that it would be a   
miracle to find anyone living. The walls were all caved in, save   
part of the wall that faced the ocean. Strewn amid the rubble were   
fragments of broken furniture and bent appliances. The wreckage   
looked like the result of a tornado, with the twisted pattern the   
debris had, but Rei couldn't recall hearing about any tornadoes in   
recent times. Standing on the stone walk that led to the inn, she   
wondered if she dared go further. Then Rei sensed a presence. It   
wasn't here now. It was more like the lingering residue of something   
that had been here. It was something extraordinarily powerful - -   
and familiar.  
  
Cautiously picking her way through the rubble, Rei searched for   
something she couldn't name. Her guard was up and she was ready at   
the first provocation to transform into Sailor Mars. Her search was   
coming up fruitless until she entered the area of what had been the   
back office where Sakiko and her father lived.  
  
Laying on the remnants of the floor was Sakiko's father. Rei   
didn't have to look closely to see he was dead; her nose told her   
that much. Covering her nose with her hands, Rei noted the pattern   
of the debris around him. It seemed to fly away from him, forming an   
almost perfect circle around him.  
  
"Like this was ground zero," Rei whispered. "Oh, please don't   
let this be what I'm thinking."  
  
Suddenly Rei's second sight was tickled by the aura of another   
presence. She turned suddenly. No one was there, but she didn't   
expect anyone. The sensation was in that direction, but away from   
the ruins of the inn.  
  
Carefully, but determinedly, Rei made her way out of the   
wreckage. She walked from the inn, across the lawn in a straight   
line, to the denser foliage of the surrounding woods. As she walked,   
the sensation got stronger. So, too, did the sound she could just   
barely pick up. It sounded like whimpering.   
  
Approaching a tree cautiously, Rei peered around. Huddled at   
the base was a woman. She was about thirty-five, with long black   
hair that had probably been silky several days ago. Her black dress   
was tattered and soiled. The woman shivered and Rei wasn't sure if   
it was from prolonged exposure or fright.  
  
"Um, ex. . ." Rei began.  
  
"AAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!" shrieked the woman. She whirled around to   
get a look at Rei, cowering in a fetal ball.  
  
"Please, don't be afraid!" Rei gasped. She stayed at a neutral   
distance, not wanting to further spook the woman. "Wait, aren't you   
the maid from Pension Adams?"  
  
The woman, eyes still wide in fear, nodded.  
  
"I didn't recognize you without the Lady Dracula makeup," Rei   
smiled timidly. That caused the woman to really look at Rei.  
  
"I," she began, searching through a still-traumatized brain.   
"You're that girl. The one who was here - - with the quiet one and   
the loud, clumsy blonde."  
  
"That's me," Rei smiled sheepishly.  
  
"You were here the last time . . ." and suddenly the maid   
couldn't go on. Her face contorted with another fearful flashback.  
  
"What happened here?" Rei asked. Rather than answer, the maid   
just gripped her head and shook it violently. Rei crouched down next   
to her, grasping the woman's shoulders. "Please, I have to know! We   
found Sakiko in Tokyo . . ."  
  
The mention of Sakiko froze the woman in shock. "Run!" she   
gasped, holding her quivering hand out to Rei. "You must run from   
her! Tell your friends to run from her! Too much! Too far! She   
can't be stopped!"  
  
"You mean Sakiko did all of this?" gasped Rei. The maid nodded   
furiously. "And her father?"  
  
She nodded again. "He said he'd be good. He said he'd change.   
But it was too late. The genie was out of the bottle. It would come   
back - - whenever she was angry or afraid - - he tried to control   
her. He tried his trick with the watch - - tried to command her as   
her father. Finally . . ." and the maid couldn't go on.  
  
"What happened?" Rei prodded.  
  
"He struck her," the maid whispered. "He lost his temper. She   
wouldn't obey him. She was stronger than him! She didn't have to!   
Not anymore! So he hit her - - to make her afraid of him again. He   
hit her and he hit her and all he did was make her angry."  
  
Rei rocked back onto her bottom, stunned. She flashed back to   
the body she saw in the ruins and just couldn't reconcile that result   
with the shy little girl she remembered meeting two years ago. It   
couldn't be.  
  
"T-The others?" Rei asked vacantly.  
  
"Dead," sobbed the maid. "She killed them all. She destroyed   
the inn. I barely got into the woods with my life." Suddenly a   
fervency seized the woman. She turned to Rei and grabbed her by the   
arms. "You have to warn your friends! She's not human anymore! If   
they cross her, she'll kill them all!"  
  
Ice formed in the pit of Rei's stomach.  
  
Continued in Chapter 6  



	6. A Race Against Time

PINK REBELLION   
Part Six: "A Race Against Time"   
  
By Bill K.   
  
Winded, Rei tore into the train depot. Several of the workers   
turned and looked at her curiously, but she ignored them. She   
ignored the burning in her thighs and her lungs as well. Frantically   
searching for a phone, her black hair whipping around, Rei tossed off   
vibrations of a woman in desperate straits - - which she was.   
Finally her eyes locked onto the phone just as one of the baggage   
handlers was about to ask her if she needed help. The girl lunged   
for it, stuffed coins into the slot and pounded out a number in   
Tokyo. As she listened to it ring, Rei fidgeted nervously.   
  
"Come on," she whispered impatiently. "Please be there!"   
  
"Hello," Rei heard Mrs. Mizuno say. "This is the Mizuno   
residence. We cannot take your call at this time. Please leave   
. . ."   
  
"Damn!" spat Rei, slamming down the phone. "Damn, damn, damn!"   
  
"Pardon me, Miss," one of the curious baggage handlers asked.   
"Is there something I can help you with?"   
  
Rei looked at him, recognizing his presence for the first time.   
She let out a frustrated breath.   
  
"When's the next train to Tokyo?" she asked, the fatigue from   
her exertions beginning to set in.   
  
"Um," the man replied, searching his memory. "That'd be 1:14."   
  
Rei glanced at the clock. It read 12:48. Rei sagged against   
the wall. Even if the train was on time, it would take an hour to   
get to Juuban District station; even getting within range of the   
senshi communicators would take forty-five minutes. Sick with worry   
and frustration, Rei pounded her fist on the wall.   
  
"In a hurry to get to Tokyo, huh?" the man asked.   
  
"Yes," she replied anxiously. "Yes, I am." Fishing into her   
pockets, Rei pulled out some more coins and stuffed them into the   
phone slot. "Maybe Makoto's home."   
* * * *   
Approaching the home where Haruka, Michiru and Setsuna resided,   
Makoto and the Amazoness Senshi scanned the place for signs of   
activity. Suddenly Makoto stopped and turned to the others.   
  
"Um, don't take this wrong, huh?" Makoto began. "Maybe I   
better go up alone."   
  
"Why?" Ves-Ves challenged her.   
  
"Well, even though the Outers never faced you four, they have   
heard what happened. That might make things a little tense at first   
and I don't want to put Michiru or Setsuna on the defensive right   
away."   
  
Ves-Ves was about to argue, but Jun-Jun intruded. "You know   
best, Makoto. We'll hang back here."   
  
Makoto nodded and headed up the walk, noticing as she turned   
that Ves-Ves stuck her tongue out at Jun-Jun. She got to the door   
and pressed the bell. The door opened and Makoto tensed.   
  
"Hey, Makoto," Haruka smiled. "What brings you around?"   
  
"I wasn't expecting you to be here," Makoto replied. Her   
demeanor was stiff and formal, with an undercurrent of disdain.   
Haruka picked up on it immediately.   
  
"Still rehabbing my broken leg," Haruka shrugged neutrally.   
She tried not to snicker at Makoto's rigid demeanor. "Do you want to   
come in?"   
  
"Thank you," mumbled Makoto. "But maybe we can wrap this up   
with just a question. Has Chibi-Usa been around?"   
  
Haruka dropped her head, trying to decide what to tell her.   
They she squared her shoulders and looked Makoto right in the eye.   
  
"She's been here," Haruka replied. "She in trouble?"   
  
"We're just trying to track her down. Can I talk to her?"   
  
"She's not here right now. She took off with Hotaru this   
morning. No telling where she is now." Haruka thought. "Tell you   
what - - if you really want to talk to her, come back around   
dinnertime. She's bound to be here then."   
  
Makoto nodded and turned to leave, consciously snubbing Haruka.   
  
"Are you mad at me?" Haruka asked. Makoto turned back and saw   
she was using that flippant smirk she always seemed to use around   
people. And all at once Makoto's rage welled up.   
  
"Since you asked," Makoto replied curtly, "yes." There was no   
mistaking her tone. Taken by surprise by the girl's vehemence,   
Haruka slipped behind her neutral mask.   
  
"And what did I do to you?" Haruka queried blandly.   
  
"We both remember what you did to me."   
  
"Are you still mad about that?"   
  
"For a while. But it's been over a year and I put it behind   
me," Makoto said, her gaze never wavering from Haruka's face. "I   
figured you were just more concerned with The Silence than with other   
people's feelings." The cutting remark didn't seem to phase the   
blonde woman at all. "But the way you treated Usagi leading up to   
Galaxia's invasion . . ."   
  
"What, you mean that little pup's infatuation with her?" Haruka   
replied more gruffly than either cared for.   
  
"It was more than that! There was nothing between them! She   
was trying to unite us!" snapped Makoto. "She was trying to present   
a united front against Galaxia! And even if she wasn't, where do you   
get off trying to keep her away from Seiya? It's not like you're her   
father!"   
  
"He could have been an enemy," Haruka replied coldly. "All   
three of them could have betrayed her."   
  
"But he didn't! And she knew that! And if you trusted her,   
you would have known that, too! Because it seems like she always   
seems to know something you don't. You were wrong about the   
Starlights. Your 'plan' to beat Galaxia got us all killed! Come to   
think of it, you were wrong about how to handle The Silence, too!   
Seems like Usagi's batting a thousand and you're batting zero."   
  
Haruka held her ground passively, but Makoto could sense she   
had managed to anger the woman.   
  
"So yeah, I'm angry with you," Makoto continued. "And it's   
hard, because there are some things about you that I respect. But   
your manners aren't one of them!"   
  
"Are you finished?" Haruka replied, seemingly bored with the   
conversation. "You don't like the way I do things? You're entitled.   
But at the end of the day, there's only one person I have to answer   
to, and it's not you."   
  
The blonde watched Makoto leave, then shook her head and closed   
the door. The Amazons gathered around her once she cleared the yard   
and they could see she was fuming.   
  
"What happened?" Cere-Cere asked. "Isn't she there?"   
  
"Oh, that woman is SO ARROGANT!" spat Makoto. Then the   
question registered in her brain. "She's not here now, but she is   
staying with them."   
  
"So now what?" Ves-Ves replied.   
  
Makoto thought. "How about we visit Ami and see how she's   
doing with that little kid?"   
  
The senshi didn't seem too thrilled with the mission, but   
deferred to their "elder". The quintet started down the street.   
  
"Palla-Palla wants some ice cream," whined Palla-Palla.   
* * * *   
Luna walked into Usagi's bedroom, glanced up at the futon and   
scowled. A bare leg hung over the side of the futon. The cat leaped   
up onto the bed, padded over next to the prostrate, snoring, face   
down, drooling Usagi, climbed up onto her head and sat down.   
  
"Luna," murmured Usagi, her voice muffled by the pillow, "get   
off my head."   
  
"Why are you back in bed?" Luna asked. "It's after twelve!"   
  
"So? There's no school today! Besides, it's bad enough I had   
to get up so early to see Rei off! Now leave me alone!"   
  
"Do you intend to sleep all afternoon?"   
  
"Why not? You do it."   
  
"I'm a cat!"   
  
"Wish I were a cat," mumbled Usagi. She shook Luna off her   
head and burrowed back into the pillow.   
  
"Fine! Sleep your life away! See if I care!"   
  
As the cat padded off for the windowsill, Usagi drifted back to   
sleep. She was almost there when her phone rang. A loud groan of   
annoyance resonated from the pillow.   
  
"I'm sleeping. This better be good," Usagi growled into the   
phone.   
  
"Late night, Usako?" she heard Mamoru say. "You're not playing   
around on me are you?"   
  
"MAMO-CHAN!" she gasped, springing up in her bed. "O-Of course   
not! Why would you think that? HAHAHAHAHAHAH!"   
  
"Usako, would you like to meet me for a late lunch? We've got   
something to discuss."   
  
"We do? What?" Usagi swallowed suddenly. "You're - - not   
going to dump me, are you?"   
  
"Of course not. Our daughter is back in town. I've got to   
discuss a few things with you about her."   
  
"Chibi-Usa? Then she is here? You found her? Where is she?"   
  
"That's part of what we have to discuss. Can you meet me at   
The Rice Bowl?"   
  
"I'll be there in fifteen minutes! Good-bye, Mamo-chan!" She   
hung up and paused thoughtfully. "I wonder why Chibi-Usa didn't   
contact me."   
  
"Chibi-Usa's back in this time?" Luna asked.   
  
"Uh huh." Usagi glanced at the clock and sprang to her feet,   
racing around the room. "Luna, I'm meeting Mamo-chan in fifteen   
minutes! Why didn't you wake me?"   
  
Luna rolled her eyes and went back to sleep.   
* * * *   
After fixing herself a sandwich, Haruka went back into the   
living room and returned to the television. She still was under   
doctor's orders to avoid the track for another week and the   
inactivity was preying on her mind. She had only just gotten back   
into racing form after being laid up with the shoulder wound she   
suffered fighting Talon Umbra and now this.   
  
For once she was glad Michiru was out meeting with her music   
publisher. The thought of Michiru seeing her curled up on the sofa   
watching "Magic Knight Rayearth" would be just too mortifying. She   
never thought she'd ever be addicted to an anime show, but she'd   
stumbled onto it while rehabbing her shoulder and now she was hooked.   
And now she didn't have to tape it and watch it in secret at the   
track.   
  
It was all Mokono's fault, too. The little beast was just so   
damn cute. As she sang along with the closing credits, the doorbell   
rang. Grunting, Haruka rose and moved to the door. As she opened it,   
Haruka wondered idly if it was Makoto, returning to punch her lights   
out.   
  
"Usa?" Haruka said, surprised. "Why didn't you just come in?"   
  
"No key," Usa replied, as if Haruka should have known that.   
  
"Oh, yeah," Haruka grinned sheepishly. She stood aside and let   
Usa in. Returning to the living room while Usa headed straight for   
the kitchen, Haruka quickly switched stations and found a news   
report. She continued to eat her sandwich as Usa entered the room   
munching on some fish. "I assume Hotaru made it to school OK?"   
  
"Um, yeah," fudged Usa. "Don't you have any pudding left?"   
  
"Sorry, you cleaned us out last night," smirked Haruka. "How   
about some nice healthy carrots?"   
  
Usa made a face. "Carrots? Bleagh!"   
  
The girl flopped down on a chair to Haruka's left. She was   
silent for the longest time, but Haruka could tell she wanted to say   
something.   
  
"Haruka-san," Usa said at last. "Were you serious when you   
said you ran away from home?"   
  
"Sure. I don't say things like that to impress people."   
  
"Oh." Usa contemplated her next question. "How old were you?"   
  
"Fourteen."   
  
"Where did you go? How'd you support yourself?"   
  
"I wandered around a little bit. Ended up hanging around this   
garage. The owner took pity on me and gave me a job sweeping the   
place up. When he saw I was interested in cars, he showed me how   
they work. Pretty soon I was fixing them, then I was racing them."   
  
"Sounds cool," Usa said.   
  
"Well it wasn't always cool," Haruka said sharply. "Being a   
runaway's a hard life. Don't forget that. You had friends to crash   
with; I didn't. You had things to fall back on; I had to scratch my   
way along. And you may think just because you're fifteen you know it   
all, but you don't. And more importantly, there are people out there   
who use that to take advantage of kids like you. I got lucky because   
Harabi-sama gave me a break. I could just as easily be working the   
streets on the Ginza right now."   
  
Usa looked down, her face hard.   
  
"Look, you feel you have to prove yourself," Haruka said,   
mellowing ever so slightly. "I understand that. I can even respect   
it. A girl comes from your cushy background, she could just lay back   
and have things handed to her. But you feel you have to earn your   
respect. That's very noble of you."   
  
"Thank you," Usa replied neutrally.   
  
"But after you do what you have to do," Haruka continued, "you   
might want to think about doing the honorable thing: going back home   
and facing the music for this. Being a runaway myself, I can   
understand your side. But now that I'm Hotaru's parent - - sort of   
- - I can sympathize with Serenity and Endymion's side of this, too."   
  
Usa stayed silent.   
  
"And maybe I'm wrong, but I think you're missing them - - just   
a little bit?"   
  
"Did you miss your parents?" Usa asked.   
  
"Hmm, loaded question," Haruka mused. She thought over her   
answer. "I missed having parents. I didn't exactly miss my   
parents." When she caught Usa's curious stare, Haruka blushed   
sheepishly. "You'd have to know my parents."   
  
Usa lapsed into one of her silences and Haruka let her   
contemplate their conversation on her own. She knew better than to   
push any runaway, let alone one with the stubborn nature she recalled   
Usa had.   
  
"Is Hotaru happy here?" Usa asked out of the blue.   
  
"I hope so," Haruka replied, surprised by the question. "I   
know I'm doing everything I can to make her happy. Why, did she say   
she isn't?"   
  
"No," Usa said quickly, mentally editing her response and   
trying not to look conspicuous. Haruka smothered a grin. The girl   
was just like her mother: one of the worst liars in the universe.   
"I'm, um, just curious. Hotaru's my best friend and I want her to be   
happy."   
  
"Isn't she happy? Is she having some trouble? Trouble at   
school, maybe?"   
  
"No! I mean, she hasn't said anything. I'm just, well, new in   
this time and I don't know how she's getting along. And I'm   
concerned, you know, because she's my best friend in the whole   
world."   
  
"Oh," nodded Haruka, her suspicions aroused. "OK. It's good   
she has a friend who's concerned about her. It's too bad you can't   
stay here permanently."   
  
"Yeah," Usa replied, her response speaking volumes.   
* * * *   
"Mizuno," Ami's mother repeated over the phone. "I wanted to   
speak with Dr. Yamaguchi about someone who I believe may be actively   
practicing ESP. I realize this sounds like a crank call, but I'm a   
pediatrician with . . ." Suddenly Mrs. Mizuno noticed the   
background noise on the phone was gone. "Are you still there?"   
There was no response.   
  
Putting the phone down, the woman turned - - and saw Sakiko   
standing in the doorway to the room. The girl glared angrily at her.   
An uneasiness crept over Mrs. Mizuno, but her rational mind forced it   
back.   
  
"You want to take me away from Ami," Sakiko snapped   
suspiciously.   
  
"I was calling one of the leading researchers in Extra-Sensory   
Perception and related phenomenon," she replied calmly, asserting her   
position as the adult in the room. "I wanted to see if he knew of a   
way to help you control your powers."   
  
"I don't need a doctor!" Sakiko growled.   
  
"You're far too young to be able to control . . ." she began.   
  
"I DON'T NEED A DOCTOR!" Sakiko bellowed.   
  
"Sakiko?" Ami said, peering at the girl from the other doorway   
with a surprised look. Instantly Sakiko shrank back into herself.   
  
"I'm sorry," she whimpered. "Please don't send me away."   
  
Ami crossed over, knelt before Sakiko and gathered the girl   
into her arms. The little girl clung to Ami.   
  
"Did you disable the phone?" Ami's mother asked. Only when Ami   
looked directly at her did Sakiko respond.   
  
"She was going to send me away," Sakiko whispered.   
  
"Sakiko-chan," Ami said, gently wiping the girl's tears.   
"Mother's only trying to help you. You have a great power and the   
doctor will try to help you control your power."   
  
"That's what Papa told me he wanted to do," Sakiko murmured,   
"and then he'd hurt me."   
  
Ami hugged the girl. "No one wants to hurt you, Sakiko. But   
you must learn how to control your power. Otherwise, something bad   
might happen."   
  
As she watched the scene, Ami's mother noticed tears spring   
anew from Sakiko - - and she noticed a haunted look in the girl's   
eyes. It was a look she'd never thought she'd see in the eyes of a   
ten-year-old.   
  
Continued in Chapter 7


	7. The Olive Branch

PINK REBELLION   
Chapter 7: "The Olive Branch"   
By Bill K.   
  
Hotaru ventured reluctantly into the girl's restroom between   
classes. If it were up to her, she would have avoided the room   
completely. However, there were some things during certain periods   
in a girl's life that just had to be attended to.   
  
Three girls were at the mirror: Kyoko, Tomoyo and Kikoyo.   
Instantly their eyes moved to her, silently challenging Hotaru's   
right to be there, challenging her right to even exist. They were in   
Hotaru's grade level, but there the resemblance ended. Nature had   
blessed Kikoyo early on with an ethereal beauty, while puberty had   
been very kind to Tomoyo. Kyoko's looks were average, but she made   
the most of what she had with a sense of style beyond her years.   
Hotaru, on the other hand, was small and shy and dressed in dark   
colors. She was different.   
  
That made her prey.   
  
Hotaru walked quietly to the stall, hoping the three would   
ignore her.   
  
"How's tricks, Goth Girl?" snickered Kyoko. Hotaru continued   
on.   
  
"Kyoko asked you a question," Tomoyo said, intercepting Hotaru   
before she reached the stall. "I think it's rude ignoring her like   
that."   
  
"She doesn't really care how I am," Hotaru replied, not making   
eye contact.   
  
"Are you saying I'm stuck up?" Kyoko demanded. With Kikoyo on   
the other side, Hotaru found herself surrounded. "Boy, you are   
ill-mannered!"   
  
"And ill-dressed," added Kikoyo. "What mortuary do you shop   
at?"   
  
"She must be trying for the 'Wednesday Addams' look," sneered   
Kyoko.   
  
"Now be nice to the child," Tomoyo said with false sympathy.   
"After all, it's not like she's got anything to show off."   
  
Hotaru shoved past Tomoyo and gained the stall, locking the   
door behind her. While she took care of what she came for, the   
others lingered outside.   
  
"Don't worry, Witchie-poo," Kikoyo called out. "We'll wait for   
you to finish. We're in no hurry."   
  
"Careful she doesn't turn you into a frog," giggled Tomoyo.   
  
"If she really had any powers," snickered Kyoko, "she'd turn   
herself into a human."   
  
Hotaru tried to ignore the catcalls as she had so often in the   
past. But it was always so hard.   
  
"What are you doing in there?" Kikoyo called out. "Playing   
with yourself?"   
  
"Well she's not going to get a boy to do it for her," Kyoko   
said.   
  
"I bet she doesn't even like boys," Tomoyo told them. "You   
know who she's living with, don't you."   
  
Finished, Hotaru lingered at the door to the stall. She didn't   
want to go out. She didn't want to face it again. But she couldn't   
stay in the stall for the rest of her life. Hotaru was no sooner out   
of the stall then it resumed.   
  
"Hey, yeah!" gasped Kikoyo. "Who was that girl you were with   
this morning? Is that your new dyke girlfriend?"   
  
"Leave me alone," Hotaru said, anger and frustration coloring   
her tone. She started for the door.   
  
"You don't have to give up on boys just yet, honey," chortled   
Kyoko. "All you need is a makeover. How about we give her one!"   
  
Kyoko's hand shot out and seized onto Hotaru's black hair. She   
jerked savagely and the girl staggered backwards.   
  
"How do you think she'd look shaved bald?" chuckled Kyoko.   
  
It was the last words Kyoko could get out. Before she could   
grab onto the reflex and pull it back, Hotaru felt her mind lunge out   
at the girl and poke her through her forehead. Kyoko's face twisted.   
She tried to cry out but her vocal cords were paralyzed and her mouth   
misshapen, mimicking the symptoms of a stroke. Kyoko staggered back   
a step, but her legs would no longer hold her and she crumpled to the   
tile floor. All the while she stared back at the horrified Hotaru   
with wide, fearful, uncomprehending eyes.   
  
"What did you do to her?" gasped Tomoyo. She knelt by her   
friend's side, then glanced fearfully back at Hotaru to see if the   
girl was preparing to attack again. Kikoyo pressed against the stall,   
afraid to move.   
  
Hotaru could feel the pall of naked animal terror in the room,   
the primal fear for life that robbed even the most civilized of their   
humanity. She felt it, too. She knew she had gifts, gifts of sight,   
gifts of power beyond her abilities as Sailor Saturn - - but this?   
  
The girls gathered their fallen companion, already recovering,   
and moved quickly for the door. Hotaru was the furthest thing from   
their juvenile minds. And right now, they were the furthest thing   
from Hotaru's mind. All she could think of was what had just   
happened, how ashamed and disappointed she felt because she'd lost   
control and lashed out. Even though it could be seen as self-defense,   
she felt bad, because Sailor Moon would never have reacted like that.   
This was more the style of Mistress 9. And she wouldn't go through   
that again. She'd run off and hide in a cave for the rest of her   
life before allowing that to happen again.   
  
Hotaru emerged from the restroom. Several of the kids in the   
hall stared at her. It was times like this that made Hotaru hate   
school.   
  
"Did they gang up on you?"   
  
Hotaru looked up and found Momoko standing there, her pretty   
face leaning in to her inquiringly. Hotaru shrugged.   
  
"I guess they didn't have anything better to do," she said.   
  
"The way they ran out of that bathroom, you must have scared   
them right down to their designer panties." Momoko instantly noticed   
Hotaru's discomfort. "Hey, don't feel guilty. Female dogs like that   
have it coming!"   
  
"No one has that coming," Hotaru replied sadly.   
  
"Well, I'm still not going to feel too bad for them. That   
Kikoyo went after me last year." Hotaru looked up at her, the silent   
question on her lips. Momo smirked. "Well, I don't want to seem   
like I'm bragging, but that dental work she got last year wasn't to   
straighten her teeth, it was to bend them back."   
  
"That's terrible," Hotaru replied, putting her hand to her   
mouth to cover her grin. Then she recalled just exactly who Momo   
was. "Momoko, would you like to come to my house for dinner   
tonight?"   
  
"Me?" Momo said, unsure about the gesture. She really didn't   
know Hotaru THAT well, even though they shared a home room. "Um,   
well . . ."   
  
"Please come. I've got someone staying with me that I'm pretty   
sure you're going to want to meet."   
  
Momo stared at Hotaru, perplexed. "Well now you've gone and   
got me curious," she pronounced. Then she shrugged. "See you   
tonight."   
* * * *   
Usa walked down the street contemplating her conversation with   
Haruka.   
  
It was getting harder and harder to stick to the runaway story,   
especially under Haruka's experienced and uncompromising scrutiny.   
She was beginning to wonder if she'd only gotten away with it this   
long because there was some truth to it. Much like her unauthorized   
trip to Elysian, she had run away through the Door of Time, but only   
because her parents would never have consented to her going if she'd   
asked. And, as disagreeable as they both could be at times, she was   
beginning to miss them. Seeing Mamoru had only fanned that desire.   
  
But she knew she had to stay strong and she had to stick to her   
story. There was no way she could tell anyone the truth. If they   
knew what she knew, they'd react differently than history said they   
did. That might change history in a way that could actually prevent   
her from changing history the way she intended to do.   
  
Her head began to hurt, just like it did whenever she tried to   
account for all the angles of her particular problem. If only she   
could talk this out with Sailor Pluto - - her Sailor Pluto. Quantum   
Chronology was always so confusing and only when she discussed it on   
her visits with her Puu did it ever make sense. Puu could make sense   
of it. But the Sailor Pluto that existed now hadn't even been   
appointed guardian of the Door yet. No, she was on her own.   
  
Turning the corner, she gasped and stepped back. Makoto and   
the Amazons were walking down the sidewalk toward her. Less than ten   
feet separated them.   
  
"Princess!" cried Jun-Jun.   
  
"Princess?" asked Makoto, then stared at the willowy beauty   
with the waist length ribbons of pink hair. "Chibi-Usa?"   
  
"Oh, great!" snapped Usa. "Just what I needed! What, did Mama   
send you back to keep an eye on me?"   
  
"That's our job, Princess!" Jun-Jun retorted. "Guarding you is   
our primary mission!"   
  
"I don't need your help!" Usa shot back. "Especially your   
help!"   
  
"What's wrong with our help, you stuck up little . . ."   
growled Ves-Ves.   
  
"You have the nerve to ask that, after what you did?" snarled   
Usa venomously. The four Amazons stared at her in shock. "Everybody   
knows what you did - - what you tried to do to Helios!"   
  
"But we just wanted to play with the horsie," Palla-Palla   
whined.   
  
"Besides, we were under Zirconia's influence!" Cere-Cere   
stormed. "We're different now!"   
  
Usa remained unconvinced.   
  
"The queen believes in us," countered Jun-Jun.   
  
"Mama believes in everyone," scowled Usa. "She'll extend a   
hand to anyone, no matter what they've done! And it hasn't prevented   
her from being bitten more than once!"   
  
"It won't happen with us, Princess," Jun-Jun replied. "We want   
this. We want to serve you. There's a lot about you a person can   
like when they're not blinded by lies and hate."   
  
"Besides, we all know this is our last chance," Ves-Ves added.   
"We screw up again and your parents drop us back into the Amazon and   
forget they ever knew us. And I kind of like my new life. So we're   
sticking to you, 'Princess', and we're going to defend you whether   
you like us or not! So get used to it!"   
  
Usa's jaw set. She seemed about to go at Ves-Ves. However,   
Makoto stepped in and held Usa back, while Jun-Jun interceded and   
forced her sister Amazon to back away.   
  
"Now, let's not have a cat fight right here in the middle of   
the street, huh?" Makoto told them, Usa specifically. "I don't think   
that's the way a lady acts, do you?" That got Usa's attention and,   
though she was still angry, she relaxed considerably. "Now I don't   
know what's gone on between all of you in the thirtieth century, but   
I've spent a little time with these four and they're good people. A   
little rough around the edges, maybe, but they're a long way from the   
delinquents that were working for Neherenia."   
  
"So I'm just supposed to forget what they did?" demanded Usa.   
  
Makoto locked eyes with the teen. "No one's going to forget.   
What they did is going to follow them the rest of their lives, just   
like my reputation for fighting has followed me around. But you   
know, one of the things that got me past that part of my life was   
Usagi taking a chance on me. And now I'd rather cut my arm off than   
let her down. Maybe you ought to give them a chance, too."   
  
Usa looked at Makoto, her expression a swirling mixture of   
chagrin, residual anger and uneasy uncertainty. She recalled all the   
good times she'd spent with Makoto in the future when her parents   
didn't have time for her and all the good advice the woman had given   
her. She saw the same warm heart and sensible advice in this younger   
version.   
  
Then she glanced at the four Amazons. Ves-Ves still had her   
jaw stuck out defiantly, but Jun-Jun and Cere-Cere stared with   
cautious hope. Then Palla-Palla walked up to her.   
  
"Palla-Palla's sorry you don't like her," the girl said   
forlornly. "Palla-Palla knows it's her fault, too, because you say   
it is and Princesses don't lie." Usa swallowed uneasily. "Can   
Palla-Palla give you a gift to tell you she's sorry?"   
  
Helpless to know how to respond, Usa turned back to Makoto.   
The girl nodded.   
  
"I guess," mumbled Usa.   
  
Palla-Palla stuck her hand behind her back. When it returned,   
it had a doll in it, which she handed to Usa. It was a little wooden   
marionette in the shape of the horned Pegasus.   
  
"Here," Palla-Palla smiled innocently. "He's yours now."   
  
Usa felt tears welling. Then her jaw set.   
  
"It's not going to explode, is it?" she asked cautiously.   
  
"Hahahahaha!" cackled Palla-Palla. "You're funny!"   
  
Cere-Cere reached over, took Palla-Palla by the hand and gently   
pulled her back. Ves-Ves patted her on the back.   
  
"Maybe you're not so dumb after all," the girl said.   
Palla-Palla beamed back at her.   
  
Usa continued to stare at the Pegasus puppet for the longest   
time. Everybody waited for her to speak. The air was thick with   
tension. Finally the teen summoned words to speak with.   
  
"Don't think this makes up for everything," Usa said gruffly.   
"Maybe I have misjudged you four. Or maybe I just don't like my Mom   
picking my friends for me. If I was rude, I apologize. And if you   
four are serious about turning your lives around, then I guess I can   
live with you as my senshi." Then her mouth tightened into a line   
and she looked directly at them. "But if ANY of you make a move   
toward Helios that I don't like, I will smoke you all!"   
  
"With Pink Sugar Heart Attack?" muttered Ves-Ves. "I doubt   
it." Jun-Jun elbowed her in the ribs.   
  
Just then, Makoto heard her Sailor Senshi communicator page   
her. She popped the watch open and activated it.   
  
"Makoto, where are you?" Minako asked urgently.   
  
"On my way over to Ami's," Makoto responded. "What's up?"   
  
"I just got a call from Rei! She's on the train back from the   
inn. The little girl's father is dead and it looks like she killed   
him! I'm on my way to Ami's right now! Get over there as fast as   
you can! She may be sitting with a ticking time bomb!"   
  
Makoto flipped the watch closed. She turned to the others.   
  
"We heard," Jun-Jun replied.   
  
"Then let's go!" Makoto said, taking off in a dead run for the   
apartment building Ami lived in. Usa and her senshi were right   
behind her.   
* * * *   
Minako piled into the lobby, whizzing past the doorman, and   
shot for the elevator. Artemis was on her shoulder, hanging on as   
best he could. She shoved a woman out of the way and jabbed the   
button for the penthouse.   
  
"Oh!" gasped the woman indignantly. "This younger generation   
is so rude!" The door closed, leaving Minako and Artemis alone in   
the car.   
  
"Just how strong a telekinetic is this girl?" Artemis asked.   
  
"Strong enough to lay waste to an entire street full of cars,"   
Minako replied. She produced her transformation wand.   
  
"That might not be a good idea," Artemis warned her. "If you   
go barging into the Mizuno penthouse as Sailor Venus and find her   
watching cartoons on Ami's lap, you're going to inspire some awkward   
questions at best. At worst, you might spook the girl into   
attacking."   
  
"But if I go in as I am now, she might get me before I have a   
chance to transform," countered Minako.   
  
"Hey, it's your call," Artemis responded. "I just think you   
should play it cautious." The elevator stopped. As the doors   
opened, Artemis jumped down to the floor.   
  
"OK," sighed Minako. "But the last time I played it cautious,   
a bomb exploded in my face. And I'm getting the same vibes now I did   
then."   
  
Controlling the adrenaline rush, the same one she'd experienced   
every time since she'd first become Sailor V, Minako approached the   
door. Artemis looked up at her and saw the Minako he knew was gone.   
In her place was an efficient fighting machine. At these times it   
was like she assumed another personality. Once again, admiration   
colored his feelings. She'd have made a great samurai.   
  
Her finger pressed the buzzer. Artemis hung back. He could   
see the transformation wand in her left hand, hidden behind her back.   
The door opened and everyone tensed, but it was Mrs. Mizuno that   
greeted them.   
  
"Hello, Minako," she smiled. "What brings you here?"   
  
"Just wanted to see if Ami wanted to hang out," she grinned,   
the warrior slipping deftly back behind the mask of 'daffy Minako'.   
"Is she here?"   
  
"Yes," Ami's mother nodded. "Come in."   
  
"I brought Artemis along," Minako said. "I hope you don't   
mind." The white cat scampered into the penthouse and instantly   
began sniffing the air.   
  
"That's fine," Mrs. Mizuno replied, though Minako could tell it   
really wasn't. "Ami. You have a visitor."   
  
Directed by the gaze of the white cat, Minako turned to the far   
door. Ami appeared out of it, holding hands with the little girl,   
Sakiko.   
  
"Hey, Ames," grinned Minako, trying to look as incompetent and   
dizzy as possible. "Just came by to see if you wanted to go shopping   
with me." She looked at Sakiko. "How are you doing, honey?"   
  
Sakiko glared at Minako. It was like the girl could look   
through her and read her every thought and Minako held on to keep   
from betraying herself.   
  
"She's very shy around strangers," Ami alibied.   
  
"Hey, Ames, I've got this absolutely juicy piece of gossip that   
you just have to hear," Minako said, maneuvering away from Sakiko and   
gesturing for Ami to follow.   
  
Ami started to go, but Sakiko's grip on her hand tightened.   
  
"It's all right, Sakiko," Ami said, patting the girl's   
shoulder. "I'm just going across the room."   
  
"Yeah, I'd let you in on it too, honey," Minako said, "but it   
involves this absolutely hunky guy and it's way too racy for a kid to   
hear." She noticed Ami blushing slightly. "See? It's so hot, Ami   
can barely hear it." Minako put her arm on Ami's shoulder and they   
huddled in the next room. Sakiko could see them framed by the   
doorway, the French doors leading to the balcony behind them.   
  
"Minako, you know I don't listen to . . ." Ami began.   
  
"That was a story," Minako whispered. "I got a call from Rei.   
The kid's dad is dead. So are all the others in the inn. So's the   
inn, for that matter."   
  
"Goodness," gasped Ami softly. "Did she . . .?"   
  
"Looks like it. How's she been around here?"   
  
"Scared. Nervous. The only thing that seems to keep her calm   
is being around me. She seems very distrustful of Mother."   
  
"Is there anyplace we can take this kid?" Minako asked. "I'm   
worried about her staying here."   
  
"She's just a scared little girl, Minako," Ami protested   
mildly.   
  
"She's already proven that she can kill."   
  
"Sakiko said her father was hurting her. It may have been a   
reflex."   
  
"Hey I'm not saying she's a serial killer. But a scared little   
girl who can do what she can is a dangerous . . ."   
  
"You're trying to take me away!" they heard Sakiko cry. Minako   
and Ami turned and saw the seething girl standing in the middle of   
the living room, glaring angrily at them. "You're trying to turn Ami   
against me!"   
  
"Hey, relax kid, I'm just . . ." 'daffy Minako' began to say.   
  
"I'LL MAKE YOU SORRY!" spat Sakiko.   
  
Artemis watched the entire scene unfold before he could make   
himself move. Sakiko's eyes began to glow almost white. Her hair   
flew up, carried by a wind only she felt. Her face, twisted in   
anger, flushed with intense effort.   
  
Minako, with the reflexes of an athlete and the experience of   
Sailor V, dived for cover behind the doorway, moving faster than the   
speed of thought - - at least the speed of Sakiko's thoughts. She   
assumed that Ami, being a fellow senshi, had the same reflexes she   
did.   
  
But Ami was slower than Minako in reacting. The unseen force   
struck her full and her body pitched backwards like it was shot from   
a cannon. She crashed through the French doors and over the balcony,   
out into thin air.   
  
Ami's mother shrieked her child's name. Minako sprang for the   
balcony in a vain effort to try to help. Sakiko stared, transfixed   
in horror, as Ami pitched helplessly out into the blue sky.   
  
Then gravity took command and sent Ami plummeting to the street   
below.   
  
Continued in Chapter 8 


	8. Secrets Revealed

PINK REBELLION  
Chapter 8: "Secrets Revealed"  
By Bill K.  
  
"Venus Crystal Power Make Up!"  
  
The transformation, which always seemed to happen in an eye   
blink most times, was agonizingly slow to Minako at the moment. As   
she tried to will it to happen faster, there was no thought given to   
the fact that she was transforming in front of Ami's mother and   
little Sakiko. Her only thought was to transform fast enough and   
snare Ami with her Love Me Chain before the girl fell too far or too   
fast. A sudden stop at the wrong speed could snap her neck, but a   
fall from this height was certain death.  
  
As the transformation took place, Mrs. Mizuno barely took heed   
of it. She was already peering anxiously over the railing, watching   
her daughter's life flash before her eyes. Minako was forgotten, as   
was Sakiko. She searched in vain at first, only to readjust her   
sight lower and pick up Ami's form. What she saw amazed her.  
  
While she plummeted, her daughter was transforming before her   
eyes. Light swirled around her petite form, and coalesced into a   
blue and white uniform. Just that suddenly, Mrs. Mizuno had the   
answer to every question that had bothered her about her daughter for   
the last two and a half years. And she'd trade it all to have her   
standing next to her on the balcony at that moment.  
  
"Venus Love Me Chain!" roared Venus.  
  
The golden links of the chain shot out from behind Mrs. Mizuno   
toward her daughter. Ami - - Sailor Mercury - - twisted in the air   
as she fell, trying to grab hold. The chain approached her, but   
ended precious inches away, Mercury's fingers desperately clawing for   
the chain and falling short.  
  
"AMMIIIIIIIIII!" wailed Venus, pressed against the railing next   
to Ami's horrified mother.  
  
"She's so scared!" cried Palla-Palla suddenly. Makoto, Usa and   
the other Amazons stopped in the middle of the courtyard leading up   
to Ami's apartment building and turned back to Palla-Palla with   
inquiring gazes. Jun-Jun noticed another person in the courtyard   
point up into the sky. She followed the direction and her eyes   
popped.  
  
"Transform now!" she barked. Instantly Cere-Cere and Ves-Ves   
obeyed. Palla-Palla just stood there, her eyes wide and her lower   
lip quivering.   
  
"Somebody fell off the building!" Usa screamed even as her   
senshi finished their transformation.  
  
"Fauna Assimilation - - Eagle!" bellowed Sailor Vesta.   
Instantly her form seemed to shimmer. Her arms morphed into wings   
while her legs grew squat and powerful, growing razor talons on the   
ends of her feet. "Juno!" she gasped as she launched herself   
impossibly into the air, her now keen eyesight identifying the   
victim, "It's Sensei Mercury-sama!"  
  
"Mercury?" cried Makoto, straining to confirm the sight.  
  
Lifted by her powerful wings, Vesta soared up into the air and   
met Mercury at the twenty-eighth floor. Mercury was amazed by the   
sight of the human-avian hybrid, but kept her head. Vesta rose up   
behind her with a powerful wing stroke, then grabbed Mercury's   
shoulders with her taloned feet.  
  
"I'm trying not to puncture you," grunted Vesta, straining to   
hold Mercury aloft.  
  
"It's better than slamming into pavement!" gasped Mercury.  
  
"She did it!" shrieked Usa happily.  
  
"But she can't stay aloft!" Ceres gasped. "She forgot an   
eagle's not strong enough to support a human!"  
  
It was true. Vesta valiantly flapped her wings trying to stay   
aloft, but the drag of gravity was pulling them both to the earth.   
At best, she would only slow their descent enough to suffer only   
crippling injuries.  
  
"She's slowed her enough, though! I think I can try this!"   
Juno said, pushing to the front. "Aqua Initiation!"  
  
In answer to her call, the sidewalk beneath them all began to   
rumble. At first it was thought to be an earthquake, but suddenly   
the cement exploded and a huge gusher of water shot up into the air.   
Defying gravity, the pressurized liquid met Ami and Vesta at the   
twenty-first floor.   
  
Had she been falling at full speed, the impact with the   
pressurized water would have likely broken Mercury's back and/or   
limbs. Slowed by Vesta, it was only like accelerating into a brick   
wall. Mercury lay stunned, Vesta sprawled on top of her, while the   
gusher of water gently lowered them to the ground. By the time the   
water died away, Makoto, Usa, Juno and Ceres were around her.  
  
"Mercury, are you all right?" asked Makoto.  
  
Mercury took a moment to mentally inventory her body. "I'm   
going to be a little sore in the morning," she chuckled, slightly   
giddy from the adrenaline rush. "But it's far better than what I was   
facing!" She turned to Vesta and Juno. "Thank you. Thank you   
both!"  
  
Vesta and Juno bowed to her, awestruck, as if they'd just   
received praise from on high. Then, out of the corner of her eye,   
Juno noticed Usa looking at them with newly born respect and   
admiration. Juno's chest swelled with pride. She nudged Vesta and   
gestured surreptitiously toward Usa. Vesta glanced at the   
pink-haired teen and grinned.  
  
Ceres, meanwhile, had drifted back to Palla-Palla, who was   
still frozen in place about twenty yards away. She approached   
carefully, noting Palla-Palla's stricken, scared face and manner.   
Taking the girl's hand, she stroked her sister Amazon's shoulder.  
  
"It's OK, Palla-Palla," Ceres said softly, trying to reassure   
the girl. "Vesta and Juno saved her."  
  
Palla-Palla turned and looked at her with confusion.  
  
"But Palla-Palla was talking about the little girl," she said   
in a scared, child-like voice.  
  
Up on the roof, Venus jumped up into the air and pumped her   
fist. She saw Artemis when she landed and broke out into a huge   
grin.  
  
"They did it, Artemis!" she cried. "They saved her!"  
  
Just then, realization slapped her back to reality.   
Remembering Mrs. Mizuno, Venus nervously turned to the woman, biting   
her lip. Ami's mother was no dummy. She had just blown Ami's cover   
and her own. But Mrs. Mizuno was curled up against the balcony's   
support wall, crying desperate, grateful tears. Surreptitiously   
Venus inched over to Artemis.  
  
"Any idea where the kid is?" Venus whispered to the white cat.  
  
"I saw her go tearing out of here," Artemis whispered in reply.   
"She looked pretty distraught, too. I'm pretty sure Ami wasn't her   
target."  
  
"Well, we've got to find the little monster fast!"  
  
"Venus, she wasn't trying to kill Ami."  
  
"No, she was trying to kill me," Venus said coldly. "And even   
so, she might not have been trying to kill her father, either, but   
he's still dead. Now we've got to run this kid to ground before she   
'accidentally' kills anyone else."  
  
Venus and Artemis quietly eased out of the penthouse.  
  
"I hate to say this," Artemis said in the hall, "but you may be   
right."  
  
"Yeah?" Venus grinned. "Can I have that in writing?"  
  
"No," deadpanned Artemis.  
  
By the time she got back to the ground floor, Venus was Minako   
again. She quickly linked up with Ami and Makoto.   
  
"Sakiko's on the loose," Minako told them. "She's angry and   
desperate and she's willing to kill to get her way. We've got to   
find her like now."  
  
"I'll join up with you in a bit," Ami replied, preoccupied. "I   
think I've got a few things to explain to Mother first." Makoto and   
Minako stared at her sympathetically, then nodded. As Ami ran back   
into the building, Makoto turned to Usa and the Amazon senshi.  
  
"You five want to tag along while we look for Sakiko?" she   
asked.  
  
"Well," hesitated Usa. "Hotaru gets out of school soon. I'd   
kind of like to be with her."  
  
"This is a little more important," Makoto countered. "Can't   
visiting your friends wait?"  
  
"I really can't explain," Usa replied with an agonized   
expression. Makoto tried to gauge what she was thinking.  
  
"OK. I guess you got to do what you got to do." She looked at   
the Amazons.  
  
"Um, we're real sorry, Makoto, but we really should stick with   
her," Jun-Jun replied. "You know, Queen's orders and stuff. Please   
accept our apologies."  
  
Makoto nodded and moved off with Minako and Artemis.  
  
"Respectful little brats, aren't they?" Minako remarked. "I   
like that."  
  
Ami peered inside of the penthouse. Aside from the shattered   
balcony doors, everything was fine. She stepped inside, knowing   
Sakiko was gone and yet hoping in vain that the girl was still there   
waiting for her. Suddenly a body slammed into her and arms wrapped   
around her torso, crushing her. Taken by surprise, Ami twisted her   
head around and found her mother clutching her like she would never   
let go. Relief washed over Ami and she brought her arms around her   
mother's waist.  
  
"Oh Ami!" the woman sobbed. "Thank the gods you're safe!"  
  
"I'm sorry I scared you, Mother," Ami whispered in her ear.  
  
Her mother pulled back from her just enough to look her in the   
eye and Ami knew she knew everything.  
  
"I'm also sorry you had to find out this way," Ami said. "I   
really wanted to tell you myself."  
  
"Well it certainly explains a lot of the last two and a half   
years," she replied. Maternally she brushed a forelock of hair from   
Ami's forehead. "How did you come by such power?"  
  
"Well," Ami began tentatively. "Mother, I'm the - -   
reincarnation is the best term, I suppose, of the Princess of an   
ancient civilization. I represent the planet Mercury and I'm one of   
the retinue of the Princess of The Crystal Kingdom, which existed on   
the Moon some time ago."   
  
"Ami, do you know how fanciful that sounds?" her mother   
grinned. "It sounds like a story out of those silly manga your   
father used to give you to read." She sighed. "I suppose next   
you'll tell me Usagi's the reincarnated Princess you're serving."  
  
Ami only blushed uncomfortably.  
  
"Amazing," the woman muttered, shaking her head. "But the   
evidence is right before my eyes. I can't very well deny it."  
  
"I would have told you earlier," Ami said, "but I was afraid.   
Afraid you'd tell me to stop, because then I'd have to do it. And   
logically, you couldn't tell me to stop if you didn't know."  
  
"Teenage logic," she muttered, the corners of her mouth turned   
up. "You forgot to factor in one thing, though: that I might realize   
- - reluctantly - - that the risks you take are certainly for the   
greater good."  
  
"You're not going to tell me to stop?" Ami asked hopefully.  
  
"That'd be a bit hypocritical, wouldn't it?" her mother asked.   
"After all, I've subjected you to deprivations and sacrifices in   
order to be there for my patients, haven't I?"  
  
"I knew it had to be done," Ami shrugged.  
  
"Well I can sacrifice, too. I'll be a huge white knuckle every   
time you go off to some battle with some supernatural evil, but I   
don't think I could live with myself if I kept you home when the   
world needed you."  
  
Ami hugged her mother. "Thank you for understanding."  
  
"It's all right. After all, it's not like I didn't have   
secrets from my mother when I was sixteen."  
  
"You?" Ami asked, amazed.  
  
Her mother seemed reluctant to reply further, but relented.   
"When I was sixteen, I met a rude, indolent, self-absorbed,   
impoverished," and she paused for a moment, the edges of her mouth   
curling up, "utterly beautiful genius of an artist."  
  
"Dad?"  
  
"Yes," her mother smiled wistfully. "And one Saturday night I   
told my mother I was going to spend the night at my friend Asuna's   
house, but I spent the night with him instead."  
  
"Mother!" Ami said in mock horror.  
  
"Yes, and if YOU ever try to do such a thing, I will lock you   
in a closet until you're thirty-six."  
  
"Yes, Mother," Ami replied, then grinned. She sobered again   
quickly. "Mother, I have to go. We have to find Sakiko before she   
hurts anyone else."  
  
Her mother took in a huge breath to steady herself. "I   
understand. Please be careful."  
  
"I will, Mother," Ami replied as she left.  
* * * *  
Hotaru and Momoko emerged from school with the same   
exhilaration as all the other kids, since this was the last day of   
the term. Momo was curious as to the surprise guest Hotaru had   
promised her and questioned the girl about it as they walked through   
the gate onto the sidewalk.   
  
"Momo!" she heard a girl squeal and looked up from questioning   
Hotaru. Momo saw a fifteen-year-old girl running up to her with arms   
spread. She didn't recognize her at first, but the pink hair was the   
giveaway. Who else could it be?  
  
"Chibi-Usa?" gasped Momo. The girls met midway between,   
wrapped their arms around each other and squeezed tight. "Oh my   
goodness, Chibi-Usa! You've gotten so big!"  
  
"Yeah, I'm finally bigger than you now!" she squealed.  
  
"Yeah, in more ways than one!" Momo replied, glancing down at   
Usa's expanded chest. "How do you stand up with a chest like that?"   
She saw Usa blush furiously and immediately broke out in laughter.   
It was a wonderfully familiar response from a long-lost old friend.  
  
"Well it's a cinch you're never going to be a lady!" growled   
Usa in mock fury. Then the two girls hugged each other again.  
  
"Hey," Momo said, noticing the Amazon quartet. "I know you   
four!" and she stepped protectively in front of Usa. "You're that   
bunch from that circus!"  
  
Ves-Ves tensed, but Cere-Cere stepped forward calmly.  
  
"Yes, we were," Cere-Cere said in a conciliatory manner. "I   
think I remember you, too. But that was a long time ago for us and   
we've changed now."  
  
"Yeah, they're with me," Usa said, embarrassed. "They're kind   
of almost my posse."  
  
"Really?" Momo asked. Usa rolled her eyes and nodded.  
  
"What's a posse?" Palla-Palla asked Jun-Jun.  
  
"Got me," Jun-Jun shrugged. "I hope it's good, whatever it   
is."  
  
"Wow, a lot's happened in your life since I last saw you." She   
playfully jabbed her finger into Usa's arm. "And you're going to   
tell me every last detail tonight!"  
  
"Tonight?" Usa asked.  
  
"I invited her to sleep over," Hotaru smiled. "I recalled you   
two were friends before you met me. I thought you might like to   
catch up a little."  
  
"Oh, Hotaru, you're the best!" Usa squealed, hugging her   
friend. "It's a good thing there's no school tomorrow, because I   
don't think we're going to get any sleep tonight!" Usa, Momo and   
Hotaru all started giggling.  
  
"Wow, you must live in a palace, Miss Hotaru Ma'am," beamed   
Palla-Palla.  
  
"What makes you say that?" Hotaru asked.  
  
"Well it must be a big place if all seven of us are going to   
sleep there."  
  
Instantly a very awkward silence draped over everyone.  
  
"Did Palla-Palla say something wrong?" Palla-Palla asked   
innocently.  
  
Usa exhaled in mortification and turned hopefully to Hotaru.   
"Do you think Haruka and Michiru will mind? They're kind of hard to   
shake, you know?"  
  
Hotaru grimaced at imagined turmoil to come. "I suppose we   
won't know until we ask them."  
  
Jun-Jun was about to speak up when Ves-Ves's hip nudged her.   
She turned inquiringly to the girl.  
  
"I'm not sleeping outside again," murmured Ves-Ves. Jun-Jun   
let out an exasperated breath.  
  
Hotaru entered the house flanked by Usa. "Michiru-mama!" she   
called out. "I'm home. I've got something to ask you." The Amazons  
waited by the door, in case they had to make a quick getaway.  
  
"We're in here, Hotaru," they heard Michiru call from the   
living room.  
  
Hotaru looked to Usa for strength.  
  
"Well, here we go," Hotaru smiled weakly. "Hope for the best."   
She turned and headed for the living room, Usa behind her to present   
a united front. "Michiru-Mama, is it all right if I have five   
friends over? I promise we'll all be . . ."  
  
Hotaru and Usa stopped short when they entered the room.   
Gathered around a coffee table were Haruka, Michiru, Setsuna - - and   
Usagi.  
  
"Busted," muttered Usa under her breath.  
  
"Hello, Chibi-Usa," Usagi said, unable to keep all of the hurt   
and betrayal out of her voice.  
  
Continued in Chapter 9 


	9. It's All Relative

PINK REBELLION  
Part 9: "It's All Relative"  
  
By Bill K.  
  
"Hello, Chibi-Usa," Usagi said, nodding to Usa. She wore a   
pleasant smile on her face and her manner was gentle, but Usa could   
see some of the pain her mother-to-be felt behind the mask of   
politeness. "Although I guess it's Usa now. Mamo-chan said you   
wanted to be called Usa."  
  
"So he's the one who told you I was here," Usa responded softly.  
  
"I'm sorry I'm intruding," Usagi apologized, still trying   
valiantly to keep a pleasant face. "I know Mamo-chan said you were   
trying to avoid me. I just - - wanted to see you once. I wanted to   
see how big you've gotten and how pretty you are. And you're so big   
and so pretty - - it must be Mamo-chan's genes." Usagi dropped her   
eyes and the mask cracked a little. "Well, I'll go now. Mamo-chan   
said you didn't want me to know you were here and I don't want to   
interfere any longer. Please excuse me."  
  
Usagi headed for the door, but bumped the end table next to   
Haruka and almost upset a lamp. Flushing with embarrassment, she   
continued on, skittering past Usa without making eye contact. Usa   
turned back to the others. She saw Hotaru eyeing the floor   
uncomfortably. Setsuna seemed sad, but sympathetic to her. Haruka   
and Michiru, however, each wore silent accusations on their faces.  
  
"All right," groused Usa. "I already feel like a rat! You   
don't have to make it worse! I'll go talk to her." She headed for   
the door, muttering, "Grown ups!"  
  
No sooner was Usa out the door than Hotaru found Michiru behind   
her. She turned questioningly to her mother figure.  
  
"Can we talk in private?" Michiru whispered. "I've got   
something important I need to discuss with you."  
  
Hotaru nodded and accompanied Michiru up to her bedroom. That   
left Setsuna, Haruka, Momoko and four very mystified Amazon senshi in   
the living room. Setsuna placed her hands on her knees and looked up   
at them.  
  
"Are you enjoying your stay in this century?" she asked.  
  
The amazons stared back, unsure how to answer. Jun-Jun glanced   
nervously at Momo.  
  
"It's OK," Momo grinned. "I know all about it."  
  
"Hotaru," Michiru began after sitting on the edge of the bed   
and motioning the girl down near her, "how are things at school?"  
  
"All right," Hotaru responded guardedly, wondering what she was   
getting at.  
  
"And are you fitting in well?" Michiru's face was neutral, but   
her eyes seemed to dissect the young girl. Hotaru looked down,   
searching for a response that would placate her.  
  
"Well enough," she shrugged.  
  
"You're not having any problems with any of the other   
students?"  
  
Hotaru shrugged again. "Everybody has problems with a few   
people. Not everybody's going to like you. You must remember what   
it was like when you were my age."  
  
"Yes, it wasn't THAT long ago," Michiru smiled briefly. "And I   
remember what it can be like when you're perceived as an outsider - -   
if you're the smartest one in class, or you choose to be different.   
You know I started dyeing my hair when I was in ninth grade?"  
  
"That's dyed?" Hotaru said, amazed.  
  
"Um hmm. One day I decided to make a bold statement about my   
artistic independence and unwillingness to follow the herd - - and   
all that other trivial nonsense we think are important when we're   
fifteen. My folks had a coronary, of course, but I liked it and I   
kept it. Of course, it didn't win me very much acceptance among my   
fellow students and I took my share of grief - - maybe more than my   
share, given my other differences. You see, Hotaru, I know what a   
trial it can be to be different when you're young."  
  
"Well, then you must know that you just have to face it,"   
Hotaru said meekly. "You have to be who you are. You can't change   
and you can't hide from the world. You just have to face the bad and   
cherish the good and know that you're strong enough to get through it   
without striking back and making their ideas of you come true." She   
shrugged again. "That's what Sailor Moon would do."  
  
"Perhaps," Michiru said. "But that doesn't mean you can't   
defend yourself, or let others defend you. If you have a problem,   
I'd hope you'd come to me or Haruka and let us help you."  
  
"But if I let other people fight my battles for me, I'll never   
learn how to do it myself. And you won't always be there for me. I   
mean, Daddy wasn't." She looked up at Michiru. "I know you're   
behind me and I'm grateful, but I have to face these things myself."  
  
"Hotaru, it's very noble to want to face your battles head on.   
But the wise warrior knows which battles she can face alone and which   
battles need to be faced with reinforcements. Please don't let pride   
stand in the way of your warrior's judgment. Please remember I'm   
here if you need help, and so are Haruka and Setsuna. Or you can go   
to Usagi or any of the inners. Just don't take on odds you can't   
handle because of some misguided code of honor."  
  
"OK," Hotaru mumbled.  
  
"Now let's go down to dinner. I don't know how long Usa'll be   
with Usagi."  
* * * *  
Sprinting out the gate, Usa saw Usagi walking slowly down the   
street. "Usagi!" she shouted and ran to catch up. "Boy, I thought   
you could only throw guilt as an adult!"  
  
"I never meant to make you feel guilty," Usagi replied.  
  
"Yeah, you never seem to mean doing a lot of things you end up   
doing," Usa countered sadly.  
  
They walked along a few paces.  
  
"Usa," Usagi offered. "I'm sorry I'm a bad mother."  
  
Usa sighed. "I guess there are worse in the world."  
  
"Well I must be terrible if I made you run away. Do I beat   
you?"  
  
"You? Heck, you feel guilty about swatting flies."  
  
"Well am I cruel to you?"  
  
"No. You just don't trust me."  
  
"I'm sorry," Usagi said. "Now that I know, maybe I can do   
better in the future. What don't I trust you in?"  
  
"Life. Love. Being Sailor Moon. You name it. You won't   
admit that I'm fifteen and I do know what I'm doing."  
  
"You make me sound just like Mom," Usagi said glumly. "And I   
swore I'd never treat my child like she treats me."  
  
"I thought you liked Ikuko-Mama," Usa inquired.   
  
"I do," smiled Usagi. "She nags too much, but," and Usagi   
began to get self-conscious, "I found out she loves me a lot more   
than I thought she did. I found out she knows I'm Sailor Moon and   
that she's proud of me for being Sailor Moon. I never thought she'd   
be proud of anything I did." Suddenly Usagi's eyes widened with   
inspiration. "Usa, I know you don't want to be around me, but could   
you grant me just one favor? Could you come home and meet Mom?"  
  
"Usagi," gasped Usa incredulously. "I've already met   
Ikuko-Mama! I stayed at your place the last two times I was here!"  
  
"I know! But those times Mom was hypnotized by Luna-P into   
thinking you were Aunt Reika's daughter! Now that she knows I'm   
Sailor Moon, I want her to meet her granddaughter."  
  
That request threw Usa off balance.   
  
"Please?" begged Usagi. "You never met her in the future. Am   
I right?"  
  
Usa nodded.  
  
"Then obviously she doesn't live to the thirtieth century. So   
I want her to know that she has a granddaughter. I know I'm probably   
imposing . . ."  
  
"All right, enough with the guilt!" sighed Usa. "I'll do it."  
  
"Usa, I'm not trying to make you feel guilty!" protested Usagi.  
  
"Well I'd hate to think how I'd feel if you were trying!"   
grumbled Usa.  
  
"Well maybe you wouldn't feel so guilty if you didn't act like   
such a brat!" fumed Usagi.  
  
"And maybe you wouldn't fall over so much if you wouldn't be   
baka-Usagi!" Usa volleyed back.  
  
"Brat!"  
  
"Baka!"  
  
Both girls leaned forward spouting raspberries at the other,   
but leaned in too close and butted foreheads. They each staggered   
back, clutching their heads. Exchanging malicious glares that were   
mirror images of each other, the pair stalked off toward the Tsukino   
home.  
* * * *  
Rei had joined up with Makoto and Minako shortly after they   
left Ami's apartment building and the three had searched fruitlessly   
for Sakiko's trail. Rei then suggested adjourning to Hikawa Shrine   
so she could try a fire reading. Ami met up with the three there.  
  
Standing outside the room where Rei did her fire readings,   
Minako peeked in through the slightly opened sliding door. Rei was   
kneeling before a fire pit in the center of the room, chanting in low   
tones to the flame as it crackled before her. Minako turned back   
toward the group.  
  
"Has anyone ever wondered how she does that?" Minako asked,   
leaning against the wall in boredom.  
  
"No," Makoto answered emphatically. "Why, you want to try it?"  
  
"Yeah," grinned Minako. Then she sobered. "I'd ask it how   
much longer I have to wait until I become a star."  
  
"Selfless to the end, I see," Makoto commented.  
  
"I still can't believe Sakiko was capable of killing her   
father," Ami said.  
  
"You saw what happened up in your penthouse," Minako replied.   
"She almost killed you. And accident or no, you'd still be as dead   
as her father right now." Minako shifted uncomfortably. "Sure,   
she's not evil. But you know how bratty ten-year-olds are. Put a   
dangerous weapon in the hands of that same bratty ten-year-old and   
you've got trouble."  
  
"I was never bratty when I was ten," Ami told her.  
  
"Yeah, neither was I," added Makoto. Then she raised an   
eyebrow and smirked at Minako. "Anything you'd care to tell us?"  
  
A nervous smile grew on Minako's face. Her eyes sought the   
ceiling. "Gee, I wonder how long those fire readings are supposed to   
take?"  
  
Just then the door slid open. Everyone gathered around Rei.  
  
"Anything?" Ami asked hopefully.  
  
"Just impressions," Rei sighed, fatigued. "She seems to be   
holed up in some dark, empty building. I didn't recognize where,   
though."  
  
"Could you sense her mental state?"  
  
"Scared. Hungry. If I read it right, I think she thinks Hell   
itself is going to descend on her and carry her away for what she's   
done."  
  
"Sounds like she's desperate," Minako judged. "And desperate   
people can become violent at the slightest provocation."  
  
"Any chance you could pick up some vibration or something if we   
scout around?" Makoto asked.  
  
"What am I, a tuning fork?" bristled Rei.  
  
"Don't get huffy! You know what I mean!"  
  
"I suppose we could wander around, see if I see anything   
familiar," shrugged Rei. "But can I get a drink first? Fire   
readings always dehydrate me."  
  
"Slacker," needled Minako. Rei responded with a hip shove as   
she passed.  
* * * *  
Ikuko heard the door, glanced at the clock and figured it was   
Usagi or Shingo entering. She peered out the kitchen door and saw   
her daughter accompanied by a strange girl.  
  
"Who's your friend, Usagi?" the woman asked. It was not   
uncommon for her effervescent daughter to make new friends easily and   
bring them home.   
  
"Hi, Mom," Usagi smiled. She pulled Usa up next to her. "This   
is Usa. Do you remember meeting her?"  
  
Ikuko looked at the tall, willowy teenager with the pink hair   
and the familiar face. Her brow furrowed.   
  
"I can't say as I do," she stared, "and yet you seem familiar.   
Have we met before?"  
  
Usa looked down guiltily. "Well, the last time you saw me, I   
was just a little kid."  
  
"Mom, sit down," Usagi said, tingling with excitement over her   
news. The energy she exhibited was a pleasant surprise to Usa.   
Ikuko complied. "I know you're not going to believe this, but Usa's   
my daughter!"  
  
"Usagi!" gasped Ikuko in exasperation. "What kind of a prank   
is this?"  
  
"It's not a prank!" wailed Usagi.  
  
"Usagi, she's as old as you are!"  
  
"I know that! She's from the future!"  
  
"Oh, of course," nodded Ikuko skeptically.  
  
"What, you can believe I'm Sailor Moon, but you can't believe   
Usa's from the future?"  
  
"Usagi!" hissed Usa.  
  
"It's OK," Usagi waived her hand dismissively. "She already   
knows about that."  
  
"Really, Usagi, is this another of your Sailor friends?" asked   
Ikuko.  
  
"MOM!"  
  
"It's true, Ikuko-Mama," Usa said politely. "I really am from   
the future." Ikuko stared at her uncomprehendingly. "My full name   
is Usagi Chiba and Usagi's my mother in the thirtieth century."  
  
Ikuko just stared. For a moment Usa was worried her mind had   
shut down, while Usagi worried she still wouldn't believe. Then the   
connection was made and Ikuko's face lit up.  
  
"Of course," whispered Ikuko, her hand flying to her mouth.   
"That's why you look so familiar. The hair threw me, but - - oh my   
goodness, you look so much like her!" Ikuko started to laugh, then   
forgot how. She sputtered for a few moments, her thoughts scattering   
in every direction. "Then - - then that means you - - and that I - -   
well, don't just stand there," she said, bolting out of the chair   
toward Usa, "give your grandmother a hug!"  
  
Before she could react, Ikuko had Usa captured in the mother of   
all grandmotherly hugs. Startled at first, Usa quickly began to warm   
up to the sensation. She timidly brought her arms up and returned it   
while Usagi stood to the side and beamed.  
  
"Oh, my goodness, but you're so beautiful!" gasped Ikuko. "And   
you're even taller than Usagi is now!"  
  
"Yeah, it's that way in the thirtieth century, too," grinned   
Usa. "Mama's always been kind of short."  
  
"But if you're from the thirtieth century, why are you here?"  
  
"I've got business to attend to," Usa answered reluctantly.   
"You see, in the thirtieth century, I'm Sailor Moon - - when Mama   
lets me."  
  
"Little brat," muttered Usagi.  
  
"Now, Usagi," Ikuko said. "Usa, is it? I'm sure she has very   
good reasons. After all, she was Sailor Moon, too, and she knows a   
little something about it. So what's this business? Is it   
dangerous?"  
  
"I really can't say anything," Usa said.  
  
"Yeah, Mom, she isn't supposed to tell us too much about our   
future," added Usagi.  
  
"I suppose you're right," Ikuko sighed in disappointment.  
  
"That's why I had to hypnotize you into thinking I was Great   
Aunt Reika's daughter the last time I was here," Usa admitted.  
  
"You were here before?" Ikuko asked.  
  
"Uh, yeah," Usagi said. "She had to hypnotize you into   
thinking she was Aunt Reika's daughter!"  
  
"Thank you, Usagi," scowled Ikuko.  
  
"She didn't want to come this time," Usagi said, "but I thought   
you deserved to know you had a granddaughter."  
  
"Thank you, honey," Ikuko said, hugging Usagi. "That's very   
sweet of you." She turned to Usa. "How long can you stay?"  
  
"Actually, I should be getting back. My mission, you know."  
  
"Oh. Of course." Ikuko thought for a moment, then reached   
into a cabinet. "If you're any relation to my daughter, you've got a   
sweet tooth. Here," and she presented Usa with a bag of lemon   
cookies. "If you ever get a chance to come by again, don't hesitate.   
You're always welcome here."  
  
"Thank you, Ik - - um, grandmother," Usa said, somewhat   
overwhelmed by events. "You know, I've never had a reason to use   
that word before, because I've never had a grandmother." Tears   
welled at the side of her eyes. "It's a real nice word." Suddenly   
she lunged at Ikuko and hugged her tight. "I'm glad Usagi dragged me   
down here now!"  
  
Tearing herself away because she feared if she didn't she'd   
never leave, Usa headed for the door. She stopped and turned back   
- - and saw Usagi staring expectantly at her mother.   
  
"Was there something else, Usagi?" Ikuko asked.  
  
"Where's my cookies?" asked Usagi, her face forlorn.  
  
"Baka," muttered Usa, rolling her eyes.   
* * * *  
While Hotaru entertained Momo inside, the Amazoness senshi   
gathered in the patio behind the house.  
  
"You know why she's probably here, don't you?" Cere-Cere said   
to the rest.  
  
"Would she do something that reckless?" Jun-Jun asked.  
  
"In a heartbeat," scowled Ves-Ves.  
  
"Palla-Palla wants to play 'Chutes And Ladders'," Palla-Palla   
whined.  
  
"Oh shut up, Stupid!" hissed Ves-Ves.  
  
"We should stop her," Cere-Cere said.  
  
"You remember what Queen Serenity told us," Jun-Jun replied,   
shaking her head.  
  
"Then we should find this kid with the mental powers and stop   
her ahead of time," Ves-Ves recommended. "That'll keep the Princess   
from changing history."  
  
"Yeah, but then we'll be changing history," Jun-Jun countered.   
"The file said the girl's defeated by Sailor Moon, not us."  
  
"That poor girl," Palla-Palla said sadly. "She's so scared and   
lonely."  
  
"How do you know?" Cere-Cere asked.  
  
"Palla-Palla can feel her thoughts sometimes - - when she's   
really scared or lonely. She hates herself so much right now.   
Palla-Palla wishes she could bring the girl a pretty dolly."  
  
"Hey, maybe we could use Palla-Palla to track her down,"   
Ves-Ves said. "Then call in Sailor Moon, let her take care of the   
problem - - and then we can go back to civilization."  
  
"Except that would be changing history, too, genius!" Cere-Cere   
scowled. Ves-Ves responded by pulling her eyelid down, angering her   
prim sister Amazon even further.   
  
"The best thing for us to do is just guard the Princess and let   
history unfold around us on its own," Jun-Jun sighed. "We all know   
what's going to happen. Let's just let it happen."  
  
"Jun-Jun, that solution officially bites," pronounced Ves-Ves.  
  
"I have to say I'm not too crazy about it, either," Cere-Cere   
said.  
  
"You think I am?" Jun-Jun replied. "I've met Hotaru now.   
She's kind of a nice person. I'm going to really hate watching her   
die."  
  
Continued in Chapter 10 


	10. The Showdown

PINK REBELLION  
Chapter 10: "The Showdown"  
  
By Bill K.  
  
"You don't have to walk me back to Hotaru's house, you know,"   
Usa grumbled. Usa and Usagi were walking down the street as dusk   
approached.  
  
"Yes I do," Usagi responded. "I don't want my baby to get hurt   
in a strange, unfamiliar environment."  
  
"It hasn't changed that much since the last time I was here."  
  
"And besides, you're so big and beautiful, you'll just   
naturally attract unwanted attention from unsavory males." Usagi   
grinned proudly. "I know all about that."  
  
"Why, do you have to protect Rei, too?" Usa asked. Usagi   
glared at her and the pink-tressed teen couldn't smother a smirk.   
"I'm not a baby, Usagi. I can take care of myself - - better than   
you can, probably."  
  
"All right," huffed Usagi, throwing up her hands. "I'm sorry   
for caring so much!"  
  
Usa let out a breath of frustration. "No you're not,   
unfortunately." Usagi turned to her. "That's the whole problem.   
You care too much! You're smothering me, Usagi - - well, you will."  
  
Usagi got that forlorn look on her face and Usa felt like a   
heel again.  
  
"I'm sorry if I'm hurting you," Usa sighed. "You're not all   
bad. You just can't seem to grasp that I'm fifteen! This is why I   
didn't want you to know I was in this time! You - - complicate   
things."  
  
"What things? Are you in some sort of trouble?"  
  
"Not yet, but I probably will be when I get back. You just   
need to give me some space so I can do this."  
  
"All right, Chibi. . ." and she stopped when Usa glared at her,   
"I mean, Usa. I'll trust you. You seem to know what you're doing   
and what you want to accomplish. I won't interfere." Usagi turned   
to go, then looked back. "Thank you for meeting Mom. It meant a lot   
to her and to me."  
  
Usa watched Usagi walk off.  
  
"It meant a lot to me, too," she whispered.   
  
Usa turned to go up to the door. She knocked and was greeted   
by Setsuna.  
  
"Good evening, Usa," Setsuna smiled. "Did you and The Princess   
correct your difficulties?"  
  
"I don't think that much time exists," Usa frowned. She   
entered, but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder. She turned back   
to Setsuna.  
  
"My good young lady," Setsuna said calmly and earnestly, "if   
you would accept some advice from an old and future friend: Do not   
take for granted that those you cherish most will always be there.   
Some day you will turn around and they will be gone and then you will   
regret all the time wasted on petty disagreements and trivial   
matters."  
  
Usa looked at Setsuna, a lump forming in her throat. She had   
to be talking about her and Usagi. She couldn't possibly know that   
in the thirtieth century it had been three long, lonely years since   
she'd seen her dear Puu - - could she? Seized by an overwhelming   
impulse, Usa flung her arms around Setsuna and hugged her tight,   
burying her face in the tall woman's chest.   
  
"When you're right, you're right," Usa sniffed, clinging to the   
woman. "I'll remember that. I swear I will." She felt Setsuna's   
hand patting her comfortingly on her back.  
  
"Hey, Usa!" Momoko called down from upstairs. "Come on up!   
We've got pizza!"  
  
"Coming!" Usa called back and she pulled away from Setsuna.   
Giving the woman a look of intense gratitude, the girl ascended the   
stairs.  
  
"Did you get everything smoothed out with Usagi?" Momoko asked.   
She, Hotaru and the four amazons were seated in a circle on the   
floor. A pizza box was near Jun-Jun and Palla-Palla was absently   
playing with her dolls.  
  
"I think I made it worse," frowned Usa. "Why do people always   
take what you say wrong?"  
  
"I don't know," Momoko replied. "It sure would make things a   
lot less complicated, wouldn't it?"  
  
"Palla-Palla thought you'd be happy," Palla-Palla said. "You   
got to be with your Granny without having to make her forget you.   
Palla-Palla wishes she knew her Granny."  
  
Usa stared, stunned. "How do you do that?"  
  
"Do what?" Palla-Palla asked blankly.  
  
"It's one of her powers," explained Jun-Jun. "Palla-Palla can   
get visions of things happening in other places. When she transforms   
into her senshi form, she has telekinetic powers, too, but her   
visions happen no matter what form she's in."  
  
"So you were spying on me?" bristled Usa.  
  
"Palla-Palla's sorry," whimpered Palla-Palla.  
  
"Back off, Princess!" snapped Ves-Ves. "Her visions just   
happen! It's not something she can control! So stop being rude to   
her, your royalness!"  
  
"Look who's talking!" huffed Usa. "I don't call her stupid!"  
  
"Hey, Palla-Palla's as close to me as two sisters can be without   
being blood," Ves-Ves replied with a warning tone. "That means I'M   
the only one who's allowed to be rude to her, got it?"  
  
"Hey, let's not fight," Hotaru said. "We're all friends here."  
  
Ves-Ves and Usa glared at each other, then allowed it to die.  
  
"OK, Hotaru," Usa said quietly. "I'm sorry I dishonored your   
home this way. So what were you all doing while I was gone?"  
  
"Talking about the future," Hotaru answered. Hotaru sighed.   
"And it seems like everyone here has met Queen Serenity but me." Usa   
shot Momoko a furtive glance.  
  
"I didn't say anything about the thirtieth century!" Momoko   
said. "I know what Queen Serenity told me!"  
  
"She meant what we all wanted to be or do in the future,"   
Cere-Cere added.  
  
"I wonder what she's like," Hotaru said.  
  
"Beautiful," Palla-Palla replied absently.  
  
"Imposing," Ves-Ves said.  
  
"She's like - - love come to life," Momo grinned. "Of course   
you see her more than any of us, Usa. You've probably seen her bad   
side."  
  
"Can we talk about something else?" Usa asked, sitting down   
between Hotaru and Momoko.  
  
"Sure," smiled Cere-Cere. "The subjects are boys, make up   
hints, boys, our dreams for the future, fashions and boys."  
  
"Slanting the vote again?" Jun-Jun asked. Cere-Cere shrugged   
innocently.  
  
"I vote boys," said Ves-Ves. "Make up hints are for sissies."  
  
To her amazement, the room erupted in girlish laughter.  
* * * *  
Usagi was almost home when she ran into the other senshi.  
  
"Where have you been?" Rei asked pointedly.  
  
"I had something to take care of with Usa," Usagi said. The   
others instantly picked up on her depressed mood.  
  
"What's up, kid?" Minako asked. "You forget your house key   
again?"  
  
"It's Usa," Usagi admitted. "What could I have done to make   
her like this?"  
  
"Well you two have always fought, you know," Makoto said. "Is   
it that much different now? It's sort of like you and Rei."  
  
"Sure, she was always a brat and she's never respected me, but   
I always felt deep down that she loved me - - or at least liked me.   
It doesn't seem like it now. She's always so touchy and defensive."  
  
"Usagi," Ami began, "I'm not a professional psychiatrist, but   
I've read a little about it. It's normal for a gulf to form between   
parents and children in their teens. And in your case, maybe it's   
not what you've done to Usa so much as what she's done to herself."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Usagi, what's been Usa's dream ever since she was five and   
before that?" Ami smiled charitably.  
  
"To eat every peppermint stick she can get her hands on?" Usagi   
replied.  
  
"Her dream, not yours," Rei chided. Usagi responded with a   
wagging tongue.  
  
"Usagi, Usa's always dreamed of being a lady," Ami said. "And   
even though she didn't come right out and say it, I think she's   
always wanted to be one lady in particular - - her mother, Queen   
Serenity."  
  
Usagi digested this like it was the first time she'd made the   
connection.  
  
"Queen Serenity has always been her image of the perfect person   
- - someone to aspire to. And as she grew and learned of everything   
you accomplished over a thousand years to bring Crystal Tokyo to what   
it will be, undoubtedly you became more and more idealized in her   
mind. It's probably gotten to the point where she has such a high   
standard of you in her mind that there's no possible way she can   
achieve it."  
  
"Wow," gasped Usagi.  
  
"And that can lead to frustration and self-loathing,   
particularly in the emotionally vulnerable teenage years. And some   
of that self-loathing can be transferred back onto the idol. Every   
word or action from the idol that isn't seen as direct praise can be   
viewed as criticism, making the subject defensive and retaliatory."  
  
"Or shy and withdrawn," Minako said. "Methinks you speak with   
a little more experience than what you read in a book, Dr. Mizuno."   
Ami blushed self-consciously and Minako put her arm around her.   
  
"Well, she does accuse me of trying to make her feel guilty,"   
Usagi said.   
  
"There, you see," Makoto added. "You just have to cut her some   
slack," and the girl grinned warmly, "and stop being so perfect."  
  
Usagi grew a tentative smile on her face. "Wow. Nobody's ever   
told me that before."  
  
Rei glanced at the darkening sky. "You three want to pack it   
in for the night?" Usagi glanced at Rei, the question on her lips.   
"We were looking for Sakiko. She's become a threat to herself and to   
everyone around her."  
  
"Can't we spend a little more time looking?" Ami appealed to   
them. "The poor little girl's all alone."  
  
"We're not going to be as effective in the dark," Minako said.   
Since her words failed to sway everyone, Minako deferred to Usagi.   
"What do you think, Usagi?"  
  
"It wouldn't hurt to look one more time," Usagi offered   
timidly, "would it?"  
  
"Not at all," smiled Ami.  
  
"I guess not," Rei softened.  
  
"Hey, we might get lucky," Makoto grinned.  
  
"It's not like I've got homework to do," Minako smirked. And   
off they went.  
  
"Man, it looks like it's going to rain," Usagi commented,   
eyeing the sky as she and her friends strolled through another   
neighborhood searching for leads to Sakiko.  
  
"Yeah, look at the way those clouds are swirling," Makoto   
remarked. "And the wind's picking up."  
  
"Have you sensed anything yet?" Ami asked Rei hopefully.  
  
"No," Rei sighed. "And none of these neighborhoods look   
familiar. Where could she be? How far can a little kid get in half   
a day?"  
  
"She got all the way from the inn to Tokyo by herself," Ami   
replied. "With her PKE level, teleportation may not be out of the   
question."  
  
"PKE?" asked Usagi, dumbfounded.  
  
"Psycho-kinetic energy," explained Ami.  
  
"Psycho-what?"  
  
"Brain power!" huffed Rei. "You know, what you lack!"  
  
"SHUT UP, REI!"  
  
"You really think she can teleport?" Minako asked.  
  
"Right now, I wouldn't put anything past her," Ami replied.  
  
"That's just great," sighed Minako. "She's a killer and a   
grasshopper."  
  
"Minako," bristled Ami.  
  
"Hey, do I have to remind you again that she killed her   
father?"  
  
"And do I have to remind you that he was beating her at the   
time?"  
  
Minako swallowed uncomfortably. "OK, well that doesn't change   
the fact that she was ready to kill me, and almost ended up killing   
you."  
  
"Sakiko tried to kill you?" gasped Usagi. "When did this   
happen?"  
  
"This afternoon," Ami said uncomfortably. "I didn't want to   
worry you."  
  
"Oh my! We've got to find her!"  
  
"Well we may have to wait," Makoto said. "The sky looks like   
it's going to open up any minute."  
  
A gust of wind tore through the group.  
  
"I'm afraid you're right," Ami said, disappointed. They turned   
and began to head off. Then Usagi noticed someone missing. She   
stopped and turned back.  
  
"Rei?" she asked. Rei was standing there, staring ahead in the   
direction they'd been headed. Her raven hair whipped in the wind as   
she stood like an oak in a hurricane.  
  
"There," Rei whispered, pointing to a boarded up shop on the   
corner. The girls gathered around her.  
  
"Look at the clouds," Minako pointed out. The black clouds   
seemed to swirl above the storefront like it was the eye of the   
storm. The winds seemed to intensify with every passing second.  
  
Ignoring the whipping wind and the menacing clouds, Usagi   
pulled the brooch from her blouse and thrust it in the air. Her  
comrades dutifully mirrored her action, producing their henshin   
sticks. The sound of the five transformation phrases was lost in  
the whistling wind, but whatever entity who needed to hear did hear,  
for in moments Sailor Moon and her senshi stood on the deserted   
corner.  
  
"Let's go!" shouted Sailor Moon over the howl of the wind. As   
she ran, one hand was between her legs to keep her miniskirt from   
blowing up immodestly.  
  
Fighting against the wind, the five girls raced across the   
street and to the storefront. As they neared it, Venus spotted a   
loose board over one window. The gap was small, but large enough for   
a child to slip through.  
  
"Go away!" they heard someone bellow from inside as they got   
within a foot of the window. Mercury recognized the voice as   
Sakiko's and was about to call out to her.  
  
Suddenly the wall exploded outward, as if smashed by a giant   
invisible fist. Rubble combined with the force and slammed into the   
five girls, flinging them backward into the street.  
  
Hotaru had been asleep for only a short time. Her eyes snapped   
open.  
  
"Princess," she whispered, a sick dread possessing her tiny   
frame. Furtively she glanced around the room. Usa was safely curled   
up on the floor next to Cere-Cere. She remembered their boasts to   
stay up all night had begun to evaporate when Palla-Palla drifted   
off. So if Usa was safe . . .  
  
Hotaru scampered over to Usa and nudged her. She tried three   
times, but Usa proved as sound a sleeper as her mother. With no more   
time to waste, Hotaru headed out of the room. In the hall she met   
Momoko, who was returning from the bathroom.  
  
"Where are you off to?" Momo inquired.  
  
"Sailor Moon needs my help," Hotaru said, her brow creased with   
concern. "If Usa asks, would you let her know?"  
  
"Sure," Momo nodded, concern clouding her face over. "Hey,   
good luck, huh?"  
  
Downstairs, Haruka pulled the curtain back from the window and   
peered out while Michiru fixed on the television news report and   
Setsuna placidly knitted.  
  
"Man, that's some storm whipping up," Haruka said. "Any   
weather alerts out?"  
  
When no answer came, Haruka turned to the others. She saw them   
looking at Hotaru framed in the doorway.  
  
"Sailor Moon needs us," Hotaru said bluntly.  
  
Continued in Chapter 11 


	11. Death Claims Its Due

PINK REBELLION  
Chapter 11: "Death Claims Its' Due"  
  
By Bill K.  
  
Usa turned over, murmuring in her sleep. The hand on her   
shoulder insistently shook her again, drawing a more annoyed murmur   
from the pink-haired teen.  
  
"Usa, wake up!" Momoko gasped, shaking the girl harder.   
"Honestly, you could sleep through a plane crash!"  
  
"Umm hmm," mumbled Usa. "Just five more minutes, Mom."  
  
By now the Amazoness senshi were up and watching with more than   
a little amusement Momo's efforts to rouse their princess. Sighing   
in frustration, Momo got up and scurried out of the room.   
  
"Guess she got tired and gave up," shrugged Ves-Ves.  
  
"Hmm," nodded Cere-Cere. "Hey, where's Hotaru?"  
  
Before anyone could respond, Momo marched in with a glass of   
water in one hand and a look of grim determination on her face. She   
walked right up to Usa and turned the glass over, pouring its   
contents right on Usa's head.  
  
"SPUT! HEY!" howled the teen, wrenching to consciousness.   
"MOMO! What's the big idea?"  
  
"Well, I tried to wake you up the normal way!" Momoko retorted.   
"Usa, Hotaru and her guardians tore out of here saying they had to   
help Sailor Moon. I figured you'd want to know."  
  
"They did?" Usa asked anxiously, then calmed. "Oh, wait. This   
is the fourteenth. Nothing's going to happen."  
  
Cere-Cere glanced at the clock. "Well," she began, grimacing,   
"it is about five until midnight. By the time they hook up with   
Sailor Moon, it'll be the fifteenth - - technically."  
  
Usa's eyes grew to saucers. "Oh no!" she cried, scrambling to   
her feet. The girl pushed past Momoko and crashed out the door on a   
dead run. As her senshi scrambled to follow, they could hear her   
barreling down the steps shouting "Moon Prism Power Make Up" as she   
ran.  
  
Momoko stood alone in the empty room, staring at the door with   
a vague unease, wondering exactly what was going on.  
* * * *  
Sailor Moon struggled to lift the rubble off of her back. She   
could feel Mercury underneath her. Mercury wasn't moving. Pushing   
her gloved hands onto what was below her, feeling the jagged edges of   
the broken wall jab into her palms, she pressed up. The rubble   
wanted to move, but she just wasn't strong enough. However, she   
didn't relax. If nothing else, she could keep the rubble off of   
Mercury with her bridged body and allow her friend to breathe.  
  
And then, miraculously, it was gone from her back. Rolling off   
of Mercury, Sailor Moon looked up in time to see Tuxedo Mask standing   
over her, his hands closing around her upper arms. Effortlessly he   
pulled her slim body to her feet and hugged her to him.  
  
"Are you hurt?" he asked, the concern clear in his voice, and   
Sailor Moon fell in love with him all over again.  
  
"I'm all right now," she whispered, trying to mask the pain she   
felt. "Help the others."  
  
His cape billowing in the gale-force wind, Tuxedo Mask's gaze   
lingered on her for a moment more, then he complied and moved to free   
Jupiter. Sailor Moon struggled to keep from being blown over as she   
knelt down to Mercury. Mercury lay unconscious. She was breathing,   
but that didn't allay Sailor Moon. Ignorant of medicine, she assumed   
the worst.  
  
"Tuxedo Mask!" she cried as he and Jupiter were shoving rubble   
off of Mars and Venus. "Mercury's hurt!"  
  
Before anyone could respond, a massive lightning bolt struck   
the utility pole at the corner. An electrical transformer exploded   
in a shower of sparks, plunging the area into darkness. Undaunted,   
Tuxedo Mask moved to Mercury's side.  
  
"Sakiko couldn't have done that, could she?" marveled Mars.  
  
"Maybe she's just made the elemental structure of the area so   
unstable that nature's getting riled," offered Venus. "Mercury'd be   
the one to ask. How's she doing?"  
  
"Breathing's normal," murmured Tuxedo Mask as he examined   
Mercury. "She might have a concussion. I don't see any external   
injuries beyond a few bruises."  
  
"Is she going to die?" whimpered Sailor Moon.  
  
Another lightning bolt struck near the storefront, drawing   
surprised shrieks from some of the senshi.  
  
"Not unless that little girl kills us all," Tuxedo Mask   
replied.  
  
"SAKIKO, STOP!" Mars bellowed anxiously into the storefront.   
"WE'RE TRYING TO HELP YOU!"  
  
"Maybe we better flush her out," they heard Sailor Uranus say.   
The group turned and saw the four outer senshi standing several yards   
away from them. Uranus had her hand up, preparing to use "World   
Shaking".  
  
"No!" cried Sailor Moon. "Don't! She's just a little girl!"  
  
"If she's causing all of this, she's a clear and present   
danger!" Neptune replied coldly as Uranus paused. "I'm sorry she's a   
little girl, but is her life more important than the ones she's   
threatening in this area?"  
  
"I can stop her!" Sailor Moon said. "I can calm her down - -   
make her stop, without hurting her! Please, you have to let me try!"  
  
As Neptune and Sailor Moon faced off, Uranus had her gaze   
caught by Sailor Jupiter. She could see the angry glare on   
Jupiter's face and it brought back to mind the bitter recriminations   
Makoto had flung at her the previous afternoon.  
  
"If Sailor Moon thinks she can do it, we should let her try,"   
Saturn added.  
  
"It's too much of a . . ." began Neptune. She stopped when   
she felt the hand of Uranus on her arm and turned inquiringly to her.  
  
"OK, Dumpling," Uranus said, speaking almost as much to Jupiter   
as she was to Sailor Moon. "We'll play it your way. Give her your   
best shot." Neptune gaped in amazement. She couldn't imagine what   
had suddenly gotten into Uranus. However she didn't protest. She   
clearly disagreed with the response, but she trusted her lover enough   
to allow her to have her way and kept quiet.  
  
Sailor Moon nodded and, with an anxious glance back at Mercury,   
stepped forward. The senshi and Tuxedo Mask stood poised to   
intercede should any menacing move be made toward her.  
  
The Amazoness senshi struggled to keep up with Sailor   
Chibi-Moon. Desperation gave the pink-haired senshi a lightning-fast   
step.  
  
"How does she even know where she's going?" asked Sailor Ceres   
breathlessly.   
  
"Remember the computer history files on this incident?" Sailor   
Juno said.  
  
"Um, no," Ceres grimaced sheepishly.  
  
"You would if you studied something besides horticulture. The   
file article on this incident came with a video stream of the battle   
site. The Princess has been to this time before. She probably   
recognized the area - - or else researched it so she knew where it   
was."  
  
"We've been in this time, too," protested Sailor Vesta.  
  
"Yeah, but we weren't exactly occupied with learning where   
things were, remember?" Ceres told her.  
  
Sailor Pallas trailed the group, struggling to keep up.   
Unglimpsed, her expression was one of alarm and anxiety.  
  
"Sakiko?" Sailor Moon said, venturing into the gaping hole in   
the side of the building. She scanned the dark interior pensively   
until her eyes locked on the barest highlight of light on dark hair.  
  
"GO AWAY!" bellowed the child.  
  
"Sakiko, please. Come out. We don't want to hurt you."  
  
"Liar! Everybody wants to hurt me! Everybody's afraid of me!   
Everybody hates me - - everybody except Ami. And-and I killed her!"  
  
"No, you didn't," appealed Sailor Moon.  
  
"Yes I did! I saw it!"  
  
The wind howled more intensely and the swirling black clouds   
above them loomed down, threatening to crush them.  
  
"I didn't mean to," Sakiko sobbed. "Just like I didn't mean to   
- - to do it to Daddy. But things happen and I can't stop them."  
  
"Let me help you, Sakiko," Sailor Moon offered gently, edging   
closer to the girl.  
  
"No! You just want to hurt me, too!"  
  
"No, I don't. I want to be your friend. I thought I was your   
friend. Remember the fun we had at the inn, down on the beach? I   
thought we were friends then."  
  
Sakiko didn't reply. Sailor Saturn, Sailor Mars and Tuxedo   
Mask crowded around the hole in the wall, trying to be as unobtrusive   
as possible while maintaining a protective watch over Sailor Moon.   
Behind them, Jupiter and Uranus peered over them. They stood side by   
side, old animosities forgotten in this time of crisis.  
  
Sailor Venus began to back away from the scene, until she   
noticed Sailor Pluto moving toward her. She noticed the inquiring   
look on the tall senshi's face.  
  
"I'm going to see if there's a back way into that place," Venus   
explained. "Maybe I can flank the kid."  
  
"An excellent strategy," nodded Pluto. "Do you require   
assistance?"   
  
Venus was about to say "no", then raised an eyebrow. "Can you   
move quickly and quietly?"  
  
"As quickly as the sands of time," Pluto replied wryly, "and as   
quietly as the passage of days."  
  
"I'll take that as a yes," smirked Venus and nodded her fellow   
senshi on.  
  
"Sakiko?" Sailor Moon said as she cautiously moved closer. "I   
know you think you've done wrong. I know you're scared - - scared of   
everyone and scared of your power. I know what it's like. I know   
what it's like to have this great power that seems to be able to do   
anything. I know how scary it can be, because you know if you ever   
slip or let go without thinking you could do something really bad.   
I've lived with that for two and a half years now."  
  
Sakiko remained silent.  
  
"You've probably lived with that even longer. All I want to do   
is help you - - help you control your power and be a normal little   
girl again. Well, as normal as folks like us can be."  
  
"Do you mean it?" Sakiko asked in a small voice.  
  
"I'll try my best," Sailor Moon grinned. "I'm not perfect, but   
I can do a few things.  
  
For a few moments it seemed Sakiko was falling under the spell   
of Sailor Moon as so many others had in the past.   
  
"HOTARU!" shrieked Sailor Chibi-Moon as she ran upon the scene.   
  
Reflexively Saturn turned to her friend's voice. That motion   
allowed Sakiko to catch sight of her. Quickly she noticed Mars and   
Tuxedo Mask also hovering nearby.  
  
"LIAR!" she bellowed.  
  
Up from Sakiko sprang a spectral wraith. It arched to the   
ceiling, then dove at Sailor Moon. Tuxedo Mask shot forward even as   
Saturn turned around. In the second it took her eyes to bug out, her   
glaive was up.  
  
"Silence Wall!" Saturn shouted.  
  
Her protective shield sprang up in front of Sailor Moon, to no   
avail. The wraith passed through the shield effortlessly and   
battered Sailor Moon, knocking her to the floor. Instantly Tuxedo   
Mask was by her side, his walking stick out and ready to defend her.   
Saturn locked eyes with Sakiko and in an instant the usually   
mild-mannered girl's temper bubbled over.  
  
A shaft of psychic energy with the properties of a dagger shot   
out from Saturn's mind. Sakiko, though, felt it before it could   
pierce her consciousness. Angrily she reflected the dagger back at   
Saturn, intensifying the speed and strength of the psychic bolt. The   
psychic dagger pierced Saturn's brain and she tumbled backward   
helplessly.  
  
"Nooooooooooo!" wailed Chibi-Moon.  
  
She clawed her way to Saturn's side, cradling the girl's head   
in her lap. Her four senshi, as well as a horrified Uranus and   
Neptune, looked on as Saturn looked up at Chibi-Moon. The girl's   
mouth was twisted and wordless and her eyes stared up at her friend,   
silently communicating the shock and confusion and sudden   
helplessness of her condition. She gestured mutely with hands   
pulled into claws. It was as if she'd suffered a stroke.  
  
"I'm sorry!" Chibi-Moon sobbed, anguished tears washing down   
her face. "I came all the way back to prevent this! I'm sorry I   
failed you!"  
  
"Aw, man!" Vesta sniffled in frustration, her own tears   
sprouting as she watched her heart-broken Princess. She turned to   
Juno. "Isn't there anything we can do?" Juno shook her head sadly.  
  
Pallas, though, turned suddenly. Distracted by the injury to   
Saturn, Sailor Moon had forgotten momentarily about Sakiko. Pallas   
saw the little girl mentally scoop up debris. In a second it shot   
forward, projectiles headed for Sailor Moon and in a second Pallas   
acted.  
  
"Beautiful Incantation!" Pallas cried, gesturing ahead of   
herself with both hands. The projectiles were deflected, as if   
struck by an invisible hand, and swatted into the far wall. At that   
point, Venus and Pluto struck.  
  
"Venus! Love and Beauty Shock!"  
  
"Dead Scream."  
  
The twin attacks combined and exploded into Sakiko with the   
force of a tank. The concussion threw the little girl from her   
hiding place, bouncing her twice on the floor before she rolled to a   
stop near the far wall.  
  
"Now, Sailor Moon!" barked Venus.  
  
Sailor Moon hesitated, reluctant to use her power on the   
battered little girl against her will. A hand closed around her arm.   
She looked up into the eyes of Tuxedo Mask. He silently told her it   
was necessary and with great distress she summoned the Moon Tier.  
  
"This will help you, Sakiko," she said softly. "Silver Moon   
Crystal Power Kiss."  
  
The silver waves radiated out from the Moon Tier, seeking out   
Sakiko with its healing power. But Sakiko reacted in fear and   
suspicion. Her psychic power exploded out, desperately fending off   
the silver energy she feared would mean her end. Beyond reason,   
beyond anything but naked animal need to survive, Sakiko poured all   
her energy into holding Sailor Moon's power at bay.  
  
"She's going to meet her Daddy," sobbed Pallas. The senshi   
turned and buried her face in Vesta's chest, her sister Amazon   
protectively folding her arms around the girl.  
  
"Sakiko, please," begged Sailor Moon - - but the girl was   
beyond reason. Frantically she poured every ounce of strength into   
resisting the might of the silver crystal. The little girl struggled   
for as long as she could. Then suddenly her eyes glazed over and she   
crumpled to the floor.  
  
Tuxedo Mask was the first one to her. Sailor Moon was behind   
him in an instant, peering fearfully over his shoulder as he pressed   
his fingers to the artery on Sakiko's neck. She could see blood   
trickling from the girl's nostrils.  
  
"Mamo-chan?" she squeaked.  
  
Tuxedo Mask shook his head and Sailor Moon dissolved into   
shuddering sobs. At the same time most of the others gathered around   
Chibi-Moon and the fallen Sailor Saturn.  
  
"Please don't die, Hotaru," Chibi-Moon wept. "Hang on,   
please." Saturn gasped for air that came with difficulty and   
struggled to mouth words that wouldn't come. "If only we were in the   
future! Mama could save you. If I were really Sailor Moon, I could   
save you. But I'm not! No matter how hard I want it, I'm never   
going to be like her! If I was, I could save you!"  
  
The girl's eyelids squeezed shut. The action squeezed off one   
of many tears. It dribbled down her face and under her chin, until   
gravity caught it and drew it downward. The droplet splashed onto   
the locket that held Chibi-Moon's bow to her fuku.  
  
And the locket began to glow.  
  
"Look!" Mars said excitedly, pointing to it. Sailor Moon   
turned, teary-eyed, from Sakiko's body and looked. A hopeful smile   
sprouted on her face.  
  
"Her powers," whispered Sailor Moon. "Her powers are beginning   
to evolve."  
  
To the amazement of her and the gathered, Chibi-Moon's fuku   
began to swirl and brighten until it gave off a white light. When it   
dimmed, her costume was the same, but she held a copy of the Cosmic   
Crescent Wand in her hand. Attached to the wand's crescent was a   
pink crystal.   
  
Chibi-Moon stared at it, dumbfounded. Then she felt a hand on   
her shoulder. She looked up and found Sailor Moon standing over her.  
  
"Hold the wand over Hotaru," Sailor Moon smiled gently, "and   
say 'Moon Healing Escalation'."  
  
Chibi-Moon's chest was heaving so much she couldn't find her   
voice at first. After swallowing several times, she managed to   
summon it.  
  
"Moon Healing Escalation," she said, her voice cracking in the   
middle.  
  
Glowing particles gently poured out from the Cosmic Crescent   
Wand. They sparkled pink in the dim light of evening. Carried by   
the dying wind, they wafted down and landed on Sailor Saturn's face   
and chest. As the pink particles, resembling moon dust, landed on   
her, they began to glow more brightly.   
  
Saturn's gnarled hands began to relax and resume their shape.   
Her mouth slackened and returned to its delicate form. The girl's   
breathing became easier and more natural as she took in the healing   
particles. Her eyes glazed over with contentment. The eyelids   
drooped once, then placidly opened again. With Chibi-Moon's help,   
Saturn sat up. Leaning on her hands, she exhaled deeply.  
  
"I think I owe you my life," Saturn said to Chibi-Moon   
gratefully.  
  
Chibi-Moon exploded into a torrent of tears and violently   
hugged her best friend. As she clung to the girl, shuddering with   
sobs, Saturn brought her arms up around her friend's torso, hugged   
her in return and gently patted her on the back. And from inner   
senshi to outer to Amazoness, everyone exchanged earnest looks of   
relief and gratitude.  
  
Concluded in Chapter 12 


	12. Consequences

PINK REBELLION  
Chapter 12: "Consequences"  
  
By Bill K.  
  
With the death of Sakiko, the rumbling black clouds began to   
dissipate in the night sky. The howling wind died down and life in   
Japan began to return to normal.  
  
Chibi-Moon helped her friend to her feet, then dived at Saturn,   
wrapping her arms tightly around the girl as they came together.   
Saturn used her glaive to steady herself.   
  
"I DID IT!" cried Chibi-Moon. "I SAVED YOU!"  
  
Saturn allowed herself a few moments to enjoy her friend's   
overflow of emotion. But a thought entered her mind and it wouldn't   
go away. Instead it kept growing bigger and bigger until it couldn't   
be shied away from.  
  
"Saved me from what, Usa?" Saturn asked gently. Chibi-Moon   
pulled back from her friend, her demeanor a swirl of laughter and   
tears. She was panting so hard she couldn't find a voice. "Usa,   
you said you came back to save me. What was supposed to happen?"  
  
"Well," Chibi-Moon gasped out, trying to laugh and cry and   
experience a dozen other emotions at once, "I guess it won't hurt to   
tell you now. You were supposed to die today. And-and I saved you!"  
  
"I don't like the direction this is going," Ceres whispered   
anxiously.  
  
"Usa!" gasped Saturn, her eyes wide with alarm. "Are you   
sure?"  
  
"Well, yes! All our history files describe this battle. It   
says Sailor Moon managed to stop Sakiko's rampage, but that Sailor   
Saturn was hurt in the battle and was never heard from again."   
Chibi-Moon smiled frantically. "But that's not going to happen now!   
I came back in time to save you and I did!"  
  
Chibi-Moon was expecting something other than the look of   
horror she got from her friend. Her tearful joy faded into a look of   
confusion.  
  
"Usa," whispered Saturn fearfully. "Do you know what you've   
done? By saving me, you've changed your own past!"  
  
"I don't care about that!" cried Chibi-Moon.  
  
"You have to care! Usa, you may have changed the future! You   
may not have a future to go back to now!"  
  
"Well," mumbled Chibi-Moon. "Then I'll stay here!"  
  
"And what about Crystal Tokyo? What about Helios? What about   
your parents? What about all the people in the future who might not   
live now because I'm alive beyond where I should be?" Saturn shook   
her head numbly. "No, no I can't live with that."  
  
To the horror of everyone, Sailor Saturn pulled away from   
Chibi-Moon. Her glaive pivoted in her hand so that the blade end   
faced her chest. The senshi leaned forward, preparing to fall onto   
her glaive and end her life. With a shriek of terror, Chibi-Moon's   
hands shot out and caught the handle of the glaive before it could   
impact with the ground.  
  
"Hotaru, no! Don't do it! You can't!" screamed Chibi-Moon.  
  
"I have to!" sobbed Saturn. "I want to live, Usa, I do - - but   
not at this price! There's an order to things! You can't fight it!   
Please don't dishonor yourself this way!"  
  
"Please, Hotaru!" sobbed Chibi-Moon. "Don't do this! I-I   
couldn't bear it!"  
  
Saturn was about to respond, but both girls stopped when a   
delicate hand in a white glove folded over Saturn's right hand. They   
looked up and found Eternal Sailor Moon standing next to them, a look   
of hopeful charity on her face.  
  
"Hotaru," she said gently. "I admire your nobility in wanting   
to sacrifice your life for the sake of others. But please don't do   
this. Maybe we can work this out so you don't have to die.   
Remember, where there's life, there's hope. But if you die, then   
there's no hope." And Sailor Moon gave Saturn one of her hopeful   
looks. Naturally, the girl could do nothing else but melt before it.  
  
"You know best, Sailor Moon," Saturn whispered, lowering the   
glaive. As Sailor Moon patted Saturn on the shoulder, she glanced at   
Chibi-Moon. The girl seemed so filled with gratitude and awe that   
she threatened to burst. Sailor Moon winked at her and made the   
girl's smile grow even more.  
  
"So what do we do?" Uranus asked with just a little more   
anxiety than she wanted to betray. She glanced at Pluto.  
  
"I cannot say," Pluto replied. "Clearly, though, something   
must be done."  
  
"Maybe if I go away somewhere," Saturn said, shaken and   
emotional, "so I don't have any contact with anybody."  
  
"If you have to, I'm going with you," Chibi-Moon proclaimed.   
"You're not going to face the rest of your life alone. I swear it!"  
  
"Princess!" gasped Juno.  
  
"Don't try to talk me out of it!" she snarled.  
  
"As you wish," Juno replied. "But where you go, we go."  
  
"Our mission is to protect you," Ceres replied to Chibi-Moon's   
surprised look. "We're dedicated to that mission."  
  
"If that's the case, you kids are going to need a pretty big   
deserted island," commented Venus.  
  
"Ahem," they heard someone say with a throaty, seductive voice.   
Turning to the sound, everyone found a mature gray cat wearing a   
ribbon collar with a bell around it.  
  
"Diana?" Sailor Moon asked, a smile of recognition growing on   
her face.  
  
"Yes, Your Majesty," the cat nodded politely.  
  
"You look so much like Luna," marveled Sailor Moon. "She even   
corrupted you into talking like her, too."  
  
Diana unsuccessfully smothered a laugh, allowing a rude snort   
to escape. That drew chuckles from the others. Shaking herself, she   
forced herself back behind her dignified mask.  
  
"My Lady," she said to Chibi-Moon, "you have been summoned to   
the palace by the King and Queen." Chibi-Moon suddenly looked sick.   
"Your senshi are to come as well." This made the Amazoness Senshi   
uneasy.  
  
"Uh oh," scowled Chibi-Moon. She turned to Saturn. "I meant   
what I said! If you're going to disappear, I'm going with you! I   
don't want to leave you alone again."  
  
"You'd defy your mother?" Saturn asked. "She's the queen."  
  
"I don't care. I won't leave you alone!"  
  
"Then I guess I can't very well go off on my own. I wouldn't   
want you to get in trouble. I'll stay here. Maybe we can work   
something else out so you have a future to go back to."  
  
"I wish you could come with me. I get lonely away from you."  
  
"Well, at least you have some friends to go back with now,"   
Saturn offered. Chibi-Moon glanced at the Amazons.  
  
"Yeah. I guess they're all right after all. But you're my   
best friend in the whole universe! I'm going to miss you!"  
  
"I'm going to miss you, too," Saturn said, tears trickling down   
her cheeks. "Maybe you can visit again sometime."  
  
Chibi-Moon glanced at Diana and got a subtle shake of her head   
in return.   
  
"Something tells me that's not going to be possible,"   
Chibi-Moon said glumly. Her face sagged at the prospect of saying   
good-bye. Then suddenly Chibi-Moon's face lit up with inspiration.   
"Maybe you COULD come to the future with us!"  
  
"M-My Lady!" Diana began nervously.  
  
"If you come to the future, then you won't be in the time line   
in the twentieth century! And-and then everything can proceed   
normally and you won't have to die!"  
  
"Will it work like that?" Saturn wondered. They turned to   
Diana. The cat, caught off guard, could offer no opinion. She and   
the others turned to Sailor Pluto.  
  
"It is an idea with merit," was all the tall senshi would   
offer.  
  
"And besides, nobody in the future will know who you are except   
the people in the palace," pleaded Chibi-Moon. "It'll give you a   
chance to start over. You won't have to keep suffering for all those   
things Mistress 9 did."  
  
Saturn looked at her, torn.  
  
"Please?" Chibi-Moon begged.  
  
Reluctantly Saturn looked away. She surveyed the assembled   
senshi until she locked onto Uranus and Neptune. Gently pulling away   
from Chibi-Moon, she walked over to them.  
  
"I don't know what to do," Saturn told them. "It's tempting.   
I've never really belonged here. But you two have been so good to me   
- - you and Setsuna-mama. It would seem so ungrateful for me to just   
leave, but I don't know if I can stay."  
  
"You're always welcome to stay with us," Neptune smiled softly,   
placing her hand on the girl's shoulder. "You've been the closest   
thing I've ever had to a daughter. But every parent knows her child   
has to leave one day. If this is the day, go with our love and our   
blessing."  
  
Saturn turned to Uranus.  
  
"You have to decide," Uranus said. "It's your life. If you   
decide to go, we'll understand. I've tried to be a better parent to   
you than my parents were to me. If you decide to stay, I'll keep   
trying."  
  
"But no matter what you decide, we'll always love you," Neptune   
added.  
  
Saturn sensed Pluto behind her. She turned and looked up to   
the woman.  
  
"If you wish my desires, then I hope you will stay," Pluto   
replied evenly. "If you wish my advice, it is best for all,   
particularly for you, that you go." Saturn looked down. The touch   
of Pluto's hand on her head made her raise it. "Know that you have   
touched my life and that I hope I have touched yours. Know, too,   
that we will meet again." A timid smile broke out on the girl's   
face. She turned back to Chibi-Moon.  
  
"I guess I'm going with you," she shrugged, her joy laced with   
subtle melancholy. Before Chibi-Moon could react, the inner senshi   
crowded around Saturn.  
  
"Hey, we're going to miss you," Mars told her.  
  
"Yeah, you were pretty handy to have in a pinch," grinned   
Venus.  
  
"And you've been a really good friend," added Jupiter.  
  
"Good luck in the future," Mercury said. "Maybe you can help   
me when you become a doctor."  
  
"Thank you," nodded Saturn. "Thank you all." Then two gloved   
arms wrapped around her neck.  
  
"OHHHHHHHH!" sobbed Sailor Moon. Robbed of any further ability   
to talk by her tears, she settled for hugging the girl tight.   
Finally Saturn extricated herself and went over to where Diana,   
Chibi-Moon and the Amazons were.  
  
"Hotaru, I promise I'll make things as easy for you as I can,"   
Chibi-Moon said.  
  
"It's OK," Saturn smiled. "It's already guaranteed I'm going   
to like the part of the future you're in." Chibi-Moon beamed.  
  
"Hey, welcome aboard new roomie!" offered Vesta.  
  
"Do you like flowers?" asked Ceres.  
  
"Pallas will let you play with her dolls," Pallas chirped.  
  
"We'll try hard to fit in with you," smiled Juno.  
  
Just then, Chibi-Moon felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned   
to find Sailor Moon next to her.  
  
"Nice thinking there," Sailor Moon told her. "You're really   
getting the hang of this, you know?"  
  
Chibi-Moon smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Usagi."  
  
"No, thank you," Sailor Moon replied, "Usagi. Now be nice to   
your mother when you get back."  
  
Caught by surprise, Chibi-Moon sputtered for a few moments,   
then let loose with a loud raspberry. Sensing more embarrassment to   
come, Diana quickly rang the bell on her collar. The sound sequence   
engaged the Ruby Time Key and the six people (and one cat) returned   
to the thirtieth century in a brilliant flash of light.  
  
"Mamo-chan," Sailor Moon asked when she felt her fiancee's arms   
wrap around her from behind, "do you suppose Hotaru will be OK in the   
future?"  
  
"I think so," he replied. "Don't be fooled by her size.   
Hotaru's pretty tough. One thing's for sure, she can only be a   
positive influence on Usa."  
  
"Mmm. I hope we're not too rough on her when she gets back."  
  
"I think we'll remember the circumstances she was operating   
under." He nuzzled Sailor Moon. "It's a cinch I'll never forget   
what happened tonight."  
* * * *  
Once they arrived at the Door of Time, Chibi-Moon whirled on   
the others.  
  
"Diana, take Hotaru and find a place to hide her!" the girl   
said to the gray cat.  
  
"But My Lady," Diana began.  
  
"Diana, please, just do it! If Mama and Daddy find out Hotaru   
came with us, they're going to freak! I'm not going to risk Mama   
sending Hotaru back!"  
  
"Usa?" Saturn inquired uneasily.  
  
"Don't worry, Hotaru," Chibi-Moon said, desperately grasping   
Saturn by the arms. "I'll find a way to talk her into letting you   
stay. And if worse comes to worse, we'll just run away to Elysian.   
I'm sure Helios will take us in."  
  
"Princess!" gasped Juno. Chibi-Moon quickly turned on her.  
  
"Don't argue! This is the way it's going to be! You don't   
have to like it, just - - don't say anything!"  
  
They were about to argue, but Queen Serenity's parting words   
echoed in their ears.   
  
"As you wish, Princess," Juno replied, looking down.  
  
"Good. Now let's go see Mama and Daddy before they come   
looking for us." Chibi-Moon and the senshi ran off, leaving Diana   
and Saturn behind. The gray cat shook her head.  
  
"That girl is just so stubborn and impetuous sometimes," sighed   
Diana.  
  
"Yes," nodded Saturn. "But she's so full of life and love that   
you really can't stay mad at her for very long."  
  
"True. Come, let me show you to your room. I hope you like   
cats. I sort of have the run of the place."  
  
"I've never known a cat who didn't."  
  
Princess Usagi entered the throne room, flanked by her four   
senshi. Queen Serenity and King Endymion sat on their thrones,   
flanked by Serenity's inner senshi in their sailor regalia. The   
Amazoness senshi reached a certain distance, then sank to one knee   
and averted their eyes. Usa stood several paces ahead of them, but   
she couldn't seem to look at her parents either.  
  
"Sailor Juno, Sailor Ceres, Sailor Vesta and Sailor Pallas,"   
King Endymion said with an authoritative bearing, "you have all   
performed your mission well. You have our gratitude for protecting   
the Princess and returning her safely to us. You may go now."  
  
The senshi nodded, then rose and backed to the door. They   
turned to leave.  
  
"I wanted to watch her get it," Vesta was heard to whisper.  
  
"Vesta, you are so disgusting!" hissed Ceres. Then the four   
disappeared out the door.  
  
"Um," Queen Serenity said and it was a moment before Usa   
realized she was talking to the inner senshi and not her. "Could you   
four leave us now? What I have to say to the Princess shouldn't be   
said in front of an audience."  
  
"All right," Sailor Mercury said, touching Serenity on the   
shoulder. "Call us if you need us."  
  
The four senshi walked to the door. Jupiter winked at Usa as   
they passed.  
  
"I wanted to watch her get it," Venus was heard to whisper.  
  
"Utterly hopeless," Mars muttered. Then the four disappeared   
out the door.  
  
Usa braced herself for her parents' wrath. She knew her mother   
would be the worst, because she wouldn't do anything physically to   
her. She'd use guilt and express her disappointment. That always   
hurt worse than the time Rei spanked her.  
  
"You did a very good job," Serenity said. "I knew you could do   
it."  
  
"Since when?" scowled Usa.  
  
"I was there! Remember?"  
  
"Oh yeah," Usa muttered.  
  
"And even if I didn't remember what happened a thousand years   
ago, I'd know you could do it. I believe in you, Usa."  
  
"Yeah, that's a laugh," Usa grumbled.  
  
"I do!" Serenity protested.  
  
"We do believe in you," Endymion added. "You've already done   
so much. You fought Nemesis at five. You faced The Silence when you   
were twelve."  
  
"Usa, when I was twelve, I was getting thirties on math tests   
and accidentally locking myself out of the house. Sometimes I lay   
awake at night and wonder if there's anything you can't do."  
  
"Then why do you treat me like a child?" Usa demanded.  
  
"We do understand what you're going through. You're fifteen   
years old and you've had your first taste of your potential. And you   
want to dive in head first and run with it as fast as you can!"   
Endymion smiled at his wife's mixed metaphor.  
  
"So what's wrong with that?" Usa complained.  
  
"Usa honey, if it seems like we're holding you back, it's only   
because you're going too fast and we're worried you may fall and hurt   
yourself. You have a whole lifetime ahead of you to accomplish   
everything you want to do. You just have to be patient. If you do   
everything now, you won't have anything left to accomplish when   
you're sixteen."  
  
"Easy for you to say."  
  
"Usa," sighed Endymion, "if we really wanted to hold you back,   
we would have prevented you from running away ahead of time."  
  
"How? How would you have even known?"  
  
"We were there! Remember?" gasped Serenity. "Usa, please,   
concentrate!"  
  
"Wonder where she gets that from," smirked Endymion.  
  
"Quiet," Serenity huffed.  
  
"Then you knew all along?" Usa asked. They both nodded. "And   
you don't care that I changed history?"  
  
"You didn't change history," Endymion said. "I purposefully   
wrote a vague account of what happened in the history files because I   
knew you were going to come into the past and I didn't want it unduly   
affecting your actions. Remember, the file didn't say Saturn died   
- - it said she was never heard from again - - which is just as it   
happened. You assumed it meant she died."  
  
"We remembered you came into the past with the idea of saving   
Hotaru from dying," explained Serenity. "If you knew that you   
actually took her into the future, you'd have acted differently and   
history would have been changed."  
  
"So you lied to me?!" huffed Usa. "You manipulated me?"  
  
Serenity rolled her eyes. "I give up! Oh, how could I have   
raised such a brat!"  
  
"Usa," they heard Hotaru say insistently. Usa turned and found   
Hotaru behind her by the door, Diana, Luna and Artemis by her side.  
  
"Hotaru, I told you to . . .!" Usa began to say, then stopped   
short. "Oh yeah. She already knows."  
  
"Usa, the Queen was just trying to make sure everything went   
according to history," chided Hotaru. "She wasn't trying to   
purposefully humiliate you. Please have some faith in her."  
  
Usa looked down, ashamed.  
  
"We do love you, Usa honey," Serenity said earnestly. "You   
make it incredibly hard sometimes, but we do love you."  
  
"Well, I love you too," Usa admitted reluctantly. "You both   
make it hard, too, but I do love you both."  
  
"That's so beautiful," Artemis sniffed tearfully, peering in   
from the slightly open door. Luna stood beside him.  
  
"There, there, my big strong male," Luna said, rubbing her   
forehead on his cheek.  
  
Serenity gestured Hotaru forward. The young waif approached   
and bowed respectfully.  
  
"I always dreamed about seeing you when you were queen," Hotaru   
smiled. "But I never thought it'd be like this! You look so   
beautiful, Usagi - - um, I mean Queen Serenity."  
  
"Thank you, Hotaru," smiled Serenity. "It's nice to have you   
back. We've all missed you terribly. Of course you'll stay in the   
palace, as is the right of a senshi." She shifted her gaze back to   
her daughter. "I'm sure the Princess would be very happy to get you   
settled in."  
  
"Very happy," Usa said, smiling warmly at Hotaru.  
  
"Just don't get too comfortable, Usa," Serenity said with a   
cheshire grin. "In about a month, I have a mission for you."  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"Yes. Since you've now fully ascended to the role of Sailor   
Moon, the King and I think it would be an excellent gesture of good   
will if you were to represent us to the realm of Elysian - - oh, for   
about a month or so."  
  
Usa's face lit up.  
  
"When did we decide this?" asked Endymion, startled and alarmed   
by the suggestion.  
  
"Tonight," hissed Serenity.  
  
"Do you mean it?" gasped Usa happily.  
  
"Yes," Serenity said, then quickly added. "Just remember,   
you'll be on your honor, both as the Princess and as a senshi."  
  
"Yes, Mama, I'll remember!" grinned Usa. "Can Hotaru come with   
me?"  
  
"Actually I think that's a good idea," Endymion interjected.   
"She'd make an excellent CHAPERONE." Usa rolled her eyes. "Now why   
don't you two kids run along."  
  
"Looks like I'll finally get to meet your boyfriend," Hotaru   
said as they scurried for the door.  
  
"You? It's been so long since I've seen him, you'll have to   
introduce me!" joked Usa.  
  
When the door closed, Serenity sighed and eased back onto her   
throne. She found herself thinking back to her mother, dead now for   
almost a thousand years. Suddenly she felt a great deal of sympathy   
with Ikuko.  
  
Just then, a glow began to form in the center of the room.   
Instantly Endymion moved in front of Serenity protectively. As the   
glow enlarged, two forms began to take shape. As they both stared,   
the shapes stepped from the glow. One was easily recognizable as   
Diana. The other was an older woman, about forty. She was still   
fair of face and her figure was generously apportioned and shapely.   
Rabbit ear odangos adorned her head and twin pink ribbons of hair   
trailed down to the ground. She wore a flowing white gown that   
seemed to be made of moonbeams.  
  
"Usa?" Serenity gasped, recognizing the mature version of her   
daughter.  
  
"Yeah, Mom, Dad," the woman smiled. "It's me."  
  
"Obviously you've come from the future," Endymion reasoned.   
"Has something happened?"  
  
  
"Nothing dire," Usa smiled wistfully. "I was just wandering   
around the palace and I remembered what happened today. And I   
remembered what a little brat I'd been and how much I probably hurt   
you both. And then I remembered something Setsuna told me a long,   
long time ago." She looked down uncomfortably. "I just came back to   
tell you that, no matter what comes out of my big, ungrateful mouth   
now, you two were the best parents a bratty little teenager could   
ever have. Don't give up on me, huh?"  
  
"Ohhhh," Serenity sniffed, misty-eyed. She walked over and   
hugged her adult daughter. Usa squeezed back hard. "But Usa, how   
did you get the opportunity to come back? I sealed the Door of   
Time."  
  
Usa smiled cryptically. "Let's just say I've got an 'in' with   
the door's guardian and leave it at that," and she glanced down at   
Diana. The gray cat gave her an icy glare in return. "Hit it,   
Diana."   
  
The cat rang the bell on her collar and the pair was enveloped   
in white light.  
  
"I love you both! Really!" Usa called as they faded away.   
Serenity felt Endymion hug her from behind as she dabbed at her eyes.  
  
Outside the door, Hotaru and the teenage Usa found the four   
Amazons waiting for them. They gathered around their princess.  
  
"So how bad was it?" Juno asked.  
  
"Ah, you know," shrugged Usa. "Typical Mom and Dad stuff. I   
suppose it could have been worse." Hotaru rolled her eyes. "And I   
found out I'm going to Elysian for a whole month!"  
  
"That's wonderful!" Ceres smiled.  
  
"You were going to let us go, too, right?" Vesta asked   
pointedly.  
  
Usa looked at her skeptically. "I suppose Mom would insist,"   
she replied, the edges of her mouth turning up wryly. "Just remember   
my warning."  
  
"Is there a place there where we can all go riding?" Pallas   
asked out of the blue. Usa looked at her, puzzled.  
  
"I-I guess," she shrugged. "What made you think of that?"  
  
"Well, forgive me Princess, but Pallas couldn't help sensing   
that you were thinking that when you got to Elysian it would be nice  
to ride the pony."  
  
The other four girls turned and stared at Usa, their smiles   
growing as the Princess flushed with embarrassment, her eyes growing  
to saucers. Pallas looked on, mystified.  
  
"Just because I thought it doesn't mean I was going to do it,  
OK!" Usa spat out in consternation. "I know what I promised!"  
  
"We know," Hotaru smiled, enjoying her friend's discomfort.  
  
"And we vow to stick close by your side, Princess," smirked Juno.  
"We'll gladly accept our mission to keep you from temptation."  
  
"Gee," scowled Usa, "you're all too kind."  
  
Her friends dissolved into laughter. Hotaru put her arm around  
her friend and they all walked off. Pallas laughed as well, even  
thought she really wasn't sure what she was laughing about.  
  
END 


End file.
